DJ Project: Beyond the Series
by Chewie-Fan
Summary: Continuation of the Don/Judy Project where I brought their frustrating romantic relationship through the first three seasons of Lost in Space. Now we are in what I would have liked to have seen in a Season 4... The characters do not belong to me...
1. Episode 1 The Astroid Field

**D/J Project**

**Beyond the Series**

**Episode One: The Asteroid Field**

No habitable planet in sight. Major Don West scanned the heavens, cursed quietly under his breath and wondered what gods were conspiring against him and Judy. Their engagement became official soon after they had escaped the junkyard planet. John and Maureen had finally, though reluctantly, agreed to discuss a wedding date. The problem was that it had been three weeks since Don had proposed – both to Judy _and_ her parents – and… no planet… no date. Earlier, he had argued with John that it was time to change the specifics of the deal he had made with the family. Maybe a wedding in space wasn't such a bad idea after all? The chariot's bay could be made into a bedroom suite for them – or one of the storage areas could serve that purpose. If his room became a storage room, the storage closet could... A soft footstep sounded behind him.

Soft hands covered his shoulders and gently rubbed the tension from them. He leaned his head back and Judy's face hovered over his. "Any luck?" she asked.

He shook his head. "A kiss might change it," he suggested.

She leaned down and planted a sweet, delicate, upside-down kiss on his lips. He took her hand from his shoulder and pulled her around to sit in his lap. His hand went to her neck and he brought her in for a deep, hungry, sensual kiss. The elevator rattled behind them and he and Judy pressed their foreheads together… and they both sighed.

"Good morning, good morning, good morning," Dr. Smith sang to them.

"What's so good about it, Smith?" Don asked as Judy removed herself from his lap.

"Oh, the poor major, irritable as usual," Smith teased. "Well, I have delightfully good news for both of you."

Don and Judy waited expectantly. "What is it, Dr. Smith?" Judy asked.

"I have found the perfect planet for your wedding."

Don and Judy looked at each other. "John and I haven't found any habitable planets within range, yet, Smith. There's nothing out there," Don told him.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Major. There is a rather small, inconspicuous system on the edge of this galaxy." He peered out the view port for several seconds and then pointed. "There!"

"There? Where?" Don asked.

"There! Right by that tiny isolated little star." He pointed to the lower left edge of the view port.

"Forget it, Smith. That's nothing but a collection of debris… an asteroid field. There can't be any planet in there."

"You doubt my calculations, sir?" Smith bellowed.

Don stood. "Doubt is such a strong word… how about… reject? Yeah… that's it… Reject… disbelieve… distrust… Excuse me. I have to check on the fuel system." He turned to Judy. "See you at lunch," he said and strode to the ladder, disappearing below.

"Humph!" Dr. Smith exclaimed. "Were it not for you, dear Judith, I would not even have brought up the subject."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Smith. Don is… well… frustrated, but thank you for searching for a wedding planet for us," Judy told him.

"Oh, it's the least I can do, Judith dear. I am so very fond of you, you know."

Will and Penny stepped off the elevator and joined them. "What's wrong with Don, Judy? He walked past us like he was mad at the world."

Judy sighed, but didn't answer. Will turned to Smith and asked, "Did you tell Don, Dr. Smith?"

"Yes, I did, William, and I was rebuffed like a flittering insect on his cheek. You would think he would be grateful that I have found a place to set-down so he and Judith can consummate their union."

Penny giggled behind her hand, afraid to catch Judy's eye, and Will said, "Consummate? What's that got to do with anything? I thought you said you couldn't stand being on this tin plated tin can for one-more second?"

Judy shook her head. "Oh, Dr. Smith, _now_ I see. You're just tired of being cooped-up on the space ship."

"That's true, Judith, but what is good for me…" (he pointed towards her) "is good for you… unless, of course, you have decided against marrying that ruffian?"

Judy laughed. "No, Dr. Smith. I haven't changed my mind, but if Dad and Don say there are no habitable planets in sight… there are _no_ habitable planets in sight." She turned and left the group.

"She's right, Dr. Smith," Penny said. "It's not right to get her hopes up. It might be a long time before we can finally land somewhere so that they can have a real wedding and honeymoon."

______________________________________

As Maureen Robinson settled into the barely-room-enough-for-two-people bed in their cabin, John finished writing in his journal:

_As we speed further away from the junkyard planet, I pray that we will_

_soon exit this desolate area of the galaxy. I believe we are still within _

_the bounds of the Milky Way – but in an area that has never been mapped_

_and for good reason. Life of any kind would fail to thrive on the hunks_

_of rocks and gasses that drift past our view port. As we note each heavenly_

_body, Major West and I compulsively mark it on our star chart, perhaps more _

_to pass the time than to provide a map of the heavens for our descendents. _

"Our descendents," John murmured as he closed his journal.

"What was that, dear?" Maureen asked as she moved closer to the wall to provide more room for her husband.

John sat on the edge of the bunk and placed a hand on his wife's cheek. "Oh, nothing… Just thinking about our children."

"I thought I heard you say… descendents?"

He nodded. "You did. Maureen, do you realize that we are starting our fourth year in space? If all had gone well, we would be more than halfway to Alpha Centauri and…"

"I know, dear, but we're all safe… and happy… well, almost all of us are happy."

John laughed. "Dr. Smith doesn't count."

"I wasn't talking about Dr. Smith."

"Oh. You were talking about the, ah, procreators of our… descendents."

She nodded. "Judy told me that you and Don had words today."

"A minor disagreement. Don wanted to swap his bedroom for a storage area below. I guess he thought it would give him and Judy some real privacy. I told him that I couldn't allow that. He needs to be within close range of the console in case of an emergency."

"Oh, John, is that really necessary?"

"Yes, Maureen, it is. He is first and foremost the pilot of this ship, and that takes precedence over any personal relationship." He felt badly about that statement, but it was true. "The _Jupiter_ could run into trouble at any moment and he needs to be ready to get her out of it. Besides… they've been patient this long… I'm sure they can last a bit longer."

_____________________________________________

Sleep… It had become elusive since he and Judy had officially announced their intentions. Life, for him, had been easier back in the days when their relationship was in its holding pattern. Their imminent (he hoped) marriage was so close – he could almost taste the champagne, but in reality, each passing hour brought them no closer to being husband and wife. He closed his eyes and was about to drift into darkness when the ship lurched violently to the left, and he almost fell out of his bunk.

Don scrambled to his feet and was up the ladder before anyone else cracked open the thin accordion door to their rooms. Thumping noises echoed throughout the ship as the _Jupiter_ was tossed to and fro by some invisible force. Once on the upper deck, Don realized what that force was. The ship was being attacked by what looked like an infinite number of spinning rocks.

John was steps behind him and shouted, "What is it?"

"We're in an asteroid field," Don replied as he weaved the ship between and around the flying chunks of debris.

Systems began to short out and John grabbed a fire extinguisher. The rest of the family soon joined them and Judy grabbed onto the edge of Don's pilot seat. She watched him feverishly avoid the larger formations, some grazing the ships hull, others barely missing the view port.

"I'm losing the stabilizers!" Don exclaimed.

"We've got to get out of this field," John told him.

"What do you think I'm _trying_ to do?"

"Robot! Can you chart a path out of this mess?" John asked.

"Negative," the Robot replied.

"Oh, dear," Dr. Smith mumbled from the back of the group, as he held onto the elevator post to stop from being flung across the deck.

"What do you mean, negative?" John asked. "There's _got_ to be a way out of it!"

"What he means is that the ship's controls are too damaged to navigate her out of here. We need to set down and make repairs," Don told him.

"Can we land on one of the asteroids?"

"Gonna have to."

"Robot, do you detect a stable asteroid large enough to hold the _Jupiter_?"

"Affirmative," the Robot replied.

"Give me the coordinates and let's get down there," John commanded. "Everyone below and strap-in,"

Don turned to John and added, "This isn't gonna be easy."

The _Jupiter_ approached the wildly revolving asteroid at a ninety degree angle. Don hit the repulsers individually at split second intervals in the hopes of leveling out the ship before hitting the surface. It worked. It wasn't a pretty landing, but the ship was still in one piece.

John turned to Don and was about to open his mouth, when Don said the words for him. "Yes, John, you don't have to say it… '_Now you know why_…"

"…I didn't want you to move your room," John finished for him. "You're our pilot, Don," John continued. "You need to be ready for emergencies." John stood. "Oh, by the way… Nice work."

Don almost smirked, but he knew better than to take safe landings for granted. "Thanks."

"Robot," John barked. "Give us a reading on the atmosphere."

"None, professor," the Robot replied. "This is not a planet, but an orbiting piece of space rock. There is no atmosphere and no life forms whatsoever."

Don left his seat and said, "I'll suit up and inspect the outside of the ship for damage, right after I find Smith."

"Smith? What's he got to do with anything?" John asked.

"He is the reason our orbit intersected with this asteroid field, Professor Robinson," the Robot explained.

"I should have known," John said.

Don stomped through the lower level, "Smith!" he shouted. Judy immediately approached him to run interference. "Don, don't…"

"Don't?" he questioned her. He was in no mood for her protectiveness. "Why not?" he asked. He flung his arm out. "The _Jupiter_ could have been destroyed out there, and us along with it!"

John was steps behind him. "Judy's right, Don. Get suited up and outside. Fixing this ship is more important than you taking your anger out on Smith."

Don grumbled, but refrained from saying anything else. John watched Don's back as he left them. He turned to Judy and said, "Beside, I have a few words to say to Dr. Smith myself."

Judy turned to her mother and they exchanged a look of helplessness. Maureen smiled at her daughter. "I don't think any of us will be getting back to sleep at this point. Let's make some breakfast."

___________________________________________

The family gathered around the table, and Don finished ticking off the list of repairs that needed to be done. "The outside repairs will take a while since we're working in a vacuum. We'll be moving in slow motion, not to mention the freezing cold and darkness. We'll have to set-up some lights since we can't depend on the light from that distant sun for more than short intervals."

"I can help you, Don," Will offered.

"No, Will. You'll stay inside the ship," John ordered. "There's no reason for anyone to be out there, but Don. Understood?" John received a round of nods from the group. "Besides, I need your help in here. Let's get to work."

The repairs inside the ship went quickly, and it wasn't long before John released Will from his chores. Will ventured below and found Dr. Smith and the Robot staring out the lower view port window, and Dr. Smith was pining for escape. As he watched Don move around the ship, Dr. Smith commented, "Lucky man, able to escape the claustrophobic confines of this space ship."

"But, Dr. Smith, there's nothing to explore out there," Will told him.

"How can you be so sure, William? Even this rock may have hidden treasures waiting to be found. Robot! Scan the area for minerals. Perhaps we'll find… deutronium, or even… cosmonium."

"I have already performed the scan for Professor Robinson, Dr. Smith. There are no minerals in the area."

"Scan again. You might have missed something… perhaps metal, gold, for instance."

"There is one area in which I have located identified metal." Will and Smith's curiosity was piqued. "Two miles southwest of this ship is a mass of metal similar to that of the _Jupiter_."

"What?" Will exclaimed. "Did you tell my father?"

"No, Will Robinson."

"Why?"

"He did not ask."

__________________________________________

"But, Dad!" Will was beside himself that his father would not let him leave the _Jupiter _to explore the area found by the Robot.

"The answer is no, Will. It's too dangerous out there, and Don and I have too much work to do to repair the ship," John explained.

"You know, John, we might be able to use some of that metal that's out there… if that's what it is. There are holes the size of Texas that need repair on the outer hull," Don said.

"We can't spare the manpower, Don. I'm afraid we'll have to make do with what we have."

"How about sending the person who got us into this mess?"

"Smith?"

"He's been complaining about claustrophobia. A walk might do him some good."

"Me?" Smith questioned.

John considered the thought. "Not a bad idea. All right, Dr. Smith, you get your wish to leave the ship."

"But… but… I simply do not have the stamina to withstand the freezing temperatures outside the ship. And, Professor Robinson, you know my penchant for finding misfortune…"

"We'll send the Robot with you," John replied. "And_ just_ the Robot," he said as he stared at Will.

_____________________________________________

The Robot was barely able to negotiate the porous, rocky terrain of the asteroid. "Hurry along, you clumsy can of cathodes. You're the reason I am in this predicament," Dr. Smith muttered.

"Correction, Dr. Smith, if you had not altered the course of the _Jupiter_, we would never have entered the asteroid field."

"If you had not mentioned that metal, I would be snug and warm inside the ship." Dr. Smith shivered. "We have been walking for hours. There is nothing here. Let us return."

"Negative, Dr. Smith. We have only been walking for thirty minutes. We will soon reach our destination."

Dr. Smith grunted and kept moving. It wasn't long before they approached the area that had been identified by the Robot. "What have we here? Oh, my… it can't be!"

____________________________________________

Don reentered the _Jupiter_, rubbing his hands together to keep the circulation going. He was met by Judy and told her, "It's getting too cold to work out there."

Judy wrapped her hands around his and brought them to her chest. "Let me warm you up," she said.

"I'll take you up on that offer," he told her as she brought him into her arms and pressed her lips to his.

He shivered. "Sorry, Judy, but I can't even pucker up, I'm so cold. By the way, is Smith back?"

"No, and I'm getting worried about him."

He was about to retort that Smith was probably hiding somewhere near the ship, waiting just long enough to worry them before returning when John approached Don. He was carrying the jet-pack. "I'm going out to look for Smith," he told him.

Don sighed. "He's probably right outside."

"Then I'll find him pretty fast," John retorted.

Don sighed, feeling guilty that he was the one who suggested that Smith go out in the first place. "Look, John, I'm already dressed. I'll go."

Judy shook her head. "Don, you're frozen!"

Don shrugged. "If I know Smith, he never got more than twenty feet from the ship. I won't be long."

___________________________________________

As Don flew through the quickly darkening sky. He found the Robot standing at attention outside a hulking mound of metal. Don shivered hard as he landed the jet-pack and shrugged it off his shoulders. He couldn't believe what he saw. "Robot! Where's Sm…" He shivered again. "Smith?" Don asked.

"Inside the vehicle, Major West," the Robot replied.

"Traveling Man…" Don mumbled as he walked around the hulking mess of tin that looked like it belonged on the junk planet.

"You are correct, Major West. It is the vehicle that transported the errant astronaut, Major James Hapgood."

Don stumbled as he approached the hatch. He looked in the window before knocking. Inside sat Dr. Smith, looking as comfortable as if he was sitting on his own bunk in the _Jupiter._ "Smith! Open the door!" Don demanded as he rapped on the window. Smith smiled and shook his head. Don shivered uncontrollably. "Come on, Smith. We've… we've got to get back to the _Jupiter_... for dinner…"

That did it. Smith popped open the hatch at the mention of food. "Dinner? Did you say dinner?"

"I'm supposed to take you… somewhere…" Don was losing his concentration.

"Major West, you are showing signs of hypothermia," the Robot stated. "You should sit in the space capsule and engage the heating unit, just as Dr. Smith did."

"I'm-m-m… okay. Any sign of Ma-Major… what-is-name?"

"Negative, Major West. There are no signs of Major Hapgood or any other life within the vicinity."

"Le's… le's search…"

"Major West, we must bring you back to the _Jupiter_."

"Yes. Yes. We must return to the _Jupiter,_ Major," Smith told him.

"Nah… I wanna… I wanna find Jimmy," Don responded.

"And we will, Major. Just walk this way." Smith turned Don towards where he thought the _Jupiter_ had landed.

The Robot pointed in the opposite direction. "That way!"

"You bumbling bubble head. Of course it's that way," Smith said as he picked-up the jet-pack. "And I will meet you and the major at the ship." He shrugged the jet-pack onto his shoulders.

"No, Dr. Smith. Major West may not survive the walk."

Don went a few yards and stumbled again, falling down onto one knee. He laughed. "I mus'… mus' be… drunk…"

Smith rolled his eyes. "Then I will send the professor to fetch him. Besides, the walk will warm him up."

The Robot grabbed hold of the jet-pack rails with his claw and held it firmly. "Negative, Dr. Smith. That is dangerous. He is already in the first stages of hypothermia. If he exerts himself, he may die. He will stand on the small platform of the jet-pack, and you will maintain an altitude of six inches… And you will follow me."

"Must I save his life – yet again?" Smith asked.

"Affirmative, Dr. Smith," the Robot replied.

Smith rolled his eyes and walked over to Don and said, "Come along, Major." He helped Don up and directed him behind him. "Step onto the platform. That's a good boy."

Don did as he was told and lay against Dr. Smith's back. "Thanks, Zach. "

"Zach, indeed!" he exclaimed as he engaged the jet-pack, which rose several feet off the ground, but the Robot grabbed Dr. Smith's leg and pulled him back.

"With me, Dr. Smith," the Robot reminded him.

Since the asteroid was now turned away from the small sun, Dr. Smith could see only inches before him in the inky blackness. He realized that, without the Robot's lead, he would most likely never find the _Jupiter_ and could fall prey to hypothermia himself. "Onward!" he exclaimed.

___________________________________________________

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**

**___________________________________________________**

Dinner was on the table, but no one had an appetite. Maureen decided to keep the food warm while John and Judy waited at the flight console for Don and Dr. Smith to return. Judy hugged herself, turned to her father and asked, "Dad, how long can they stay out there before…"

John put his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Judy, if I had known just how long Don had been working out there…"

Normally, Judy would have accepted her father's remorse, but she knew that he and Don had had words about their sleeping arrangements. "Dad, please… you knew that he had just come in from working outside for hours and was freezing cold."

"Yes, I did, Judy, but he volunteered.

"Out of guilt. If you and he hadn't argued…"

The Robot rolled past the view port towing Dr. Smith and Don. Judy and John ran to the hatch and opened it. Dr. Smith almost flew into the sky with Don on his back as the Robot let go of his hold on the jet-pack's post. "Turn it off, Smith!" John shouted after him.

"Oh, dear. Oh, dear… these contraptions," Dr. Smith complained as he tried to shut down the jet-pack engine. Finally, he pushed the correct button and landed on his feet with a lurch. Don slid off his back and onto the ramp – unconscious.

"Don!" Judy shouted as she ran to him. John picked Don up, slung him over his shoulder and carried him into the _Jupiter_. Judy shut the hatch behind them as the rest of the family joined them. Will helped Dr. Smith off with the jet-pack as Maureen instructed John to bring Don to his cabin.

"Penny, get Dr. Smith some warm food while I examine Don," Maureen ordered. Once in Don's cabin, Maureen instructed John to remove Don's clothing and cover him with a blanket. She took his body temperature. It had dipped to ninety degrees and his breathing was shallow.

"I'll get some warm water," Judy said.

"No, Judy. That could be a shock to his system. We'll warm him up gradually. Just get me the heated blanket," Maureen told her.

"Mom, the heated blanket hasn't worked since Dr. Smith used it on the ice princess."

"Oh… yes. Then just get all the blankets you can. John, please check on Dr. Smith. If he's moving around and eating, he should be fine. I'll check him for frostbite later." She carefully examined Don after he left.

Judy soon returned. "I had to take the blankets off Penny's and my beds. Dr. Smith took all the others," Judy told her mother.

"That's fine, Judy," Maureen responded. They covered Don with what she had brought. Maureen turned to Judy and said, "Don't take this as anything more than a medical procedure, Judy, but I want you to take off your clothes and lay down next to Don. Your body heat will help warm him up." Judy stripped off her clothing and Maureen stopped her at her panties. "That's fine, Judy. Just lie down and snuggle up next to him. Don't rub his skin. He'll warm up slowly through skin to skin contact."

Judy didn't stop to think about what she was doing until she lay down in his bed and draped herself over his frozen torso. She brushed a tear from her eye. "Mother, he's so cold. Will he be all right?"

"Well, he has some frostbite in his hands, but not in his feet or… um… other extremities. Once he's conscious, we'll give him something warm to drink."

Judy couldn't stop a sob from escaping her lips. "Oh, mother, he should never have gone after Dr. Smith. If he and Dad hadn't had that argument…"

"Judy! This is not your father's fault. Now, don't dwell on that, and keep your tears from falling on Don. We don't want him to get wet." She reached into her pocket and gave Judy a handkerchief. Judy wiped her eyes and held it out to her mother. Maureen took the handkerchief from her fingers and sighed. "I'm sorry, Judy. I didn't mean to be harsh with you. We've all been tense the last few weeks."

There was more she wanted to say, but Judy remained silent. The last thing she needed was to become more upset than she was. Don stirred and turned his head into the crook of her neck.

Maureen blushed, wishing she was not sitting in that very room at that very moment with her daughter lying almost naked with her fiancé… not to mention that she had seen more of her daughter's fiancé than she had ever wanted to see.

Judy, too, wished that her mother could disappear. She had dreamt of lying with Don in this state of… undress… for years, but not in his current condition.

Maureen sensed Judy's thoughts and chose to give Judy a few moments of privacy. "I'm going to check on Dr. Smith. I'll also find something – rocks or metal – to heat and put in bed with him. That will help him warm up a bit faster. I'll only be a few minutes, Judy."

Soon after she left, Don's body seemed to spasm and he grunted.

"Don? Please, Don wake-up…" Judy begged.

Don mumbled, "Travelin… Jimmy…"

Don eyes fluttered open, and he had no idea where he was. A warm body covered him… A curvaceous, soft, warm body… and blond hair was in his face. "Wha…"

"Don, it's me, Judy. Please wake-up and look at me."

Her face was inches from his and he still had no idea who she was… or who _he_ was, for that matter. He grunted again and tried to move, but his muscles didn't obey.

The accordion door opened. John entered and his eyes opened wide. He was rarely speechless, but he had no idea what to say. "What the…"

Maureen was steps behind him. "My suggestion, John. Judy is warming him." She walked past John and saw that Don's eyes were open. "Don, you're awake. Good. Now we can get some warm fluids into you. John, please ask Penny to bring us some warm soup and then come back and help us get some warm clothing on him." She wrapped Don's pajamas around a metal pan she had warmed.

John felt as if he should say something – 'fatherly' – to his daughter, but words escaped him. He left to find Penny, and when he returned, he found Judy out of Don's bed and tugging her shirt over her waist. "Judy, you should leave," John told her as he and Maureen prepared to dress Don.

Judy almost rolled her eyes. "Dad, please. I just felt every naked inch of him. This is not sexual."

Maureen nodded and said, "It will take all three of us to dress him because he's still very confused… and be gentle with him."

As they pulled the clothing over his body, Don's brain thawed and he remembered who and where he was… and whom he was with… "Judy," he whispered as she buttoned his pajama top closed.

She took his face in her hands and peered into his eyes. "Don? You remember me?"

He nodded and said, "I'm cold." Maureen put a thermometer in his mouth and he quieted. After a few moments, she removed it and said, "Not as cold as you were when John dragged you back into the _Jupiter_... Ninety-two point six."

Penny came to the doorway of the crowded room, holding the bowl of soup. Judy took it from her hands. "Thank you, Penny."

"Is he going to be all right?" Penny asked.

Judy glanced at Don and saw that he was sitting up and shivering – a good sign. "I think so," she told her. Judy sat on the edge of Don's bed and put a spoonful of soup to his lips. He slurped and she dipped the spoon into the soup again.

"I… I can feed myself," he whispered. He tried to move his hands out from under the covers, but his fingers barely moved. It seemed as if they were sewn together.

"Don't be stubborn, Don. Just relax and let me take care of you," Judy told him. Maureen tucked the blankets around Don a bit tighter.

Don glanced at John and said, "Hapgood. We… we found his ship."

John nodded. "Dr. Smith told me. Did you see any sign of Hapgood at all?" he asked.

Don shook his head. "Um… I don't think so… but… I'm not sure…"

"Dr. Smith said that it looked as if the space ship had been abandoned."

"John," Maureen said, "You don't think Hapgood is out there – wandering around this asteroid… or worse, do you?"

"I doubt it, Maureen. I'll have the Robot do a thorough search. If there are any signs of life, he'll find them."

"I, uh, I wanted to search," Don said.

"You're not going anywhere for the next couple of days, Don," Maureen told him. "Your hands are frostbitten. I'm going to wrap them and watch them the next day or two to be sure there isn't any permanent damage."

John went to the doorway to leave, but turned back. "I believe I owe you an apology, Don. I shouldn't have allowed you to go out after Smith."

Don tried to shrug his shoulders and said, "He got a lot further than I, uh, expected. I'll… I'll be okay." John nodded, and he and his wife left the room. Don turned his attention to Judy. "So, uh, was it… was it my imagination, or were you, um, lying, um… naked… over me with your parents in the room?"

She smiled a coy, beatific smile. "I _was_ naked, but somebody had to warm you up," she told him.

He managed a grin. "Glad it was you and not your father," he told her.

___________________________________________

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**

**___________________________________________**

There were no signs of Jim Hapgood on the asteroid – alive or dead. John could only surmise that he had landed and gone off in an alien ship – whether it was with or without his permission – John had no idea. At Don's suggestion, he tore pieces of metal off _Travelin' Man_ and used it to patch the outer hull of the _Jupiter_. He and the Robot finished the last patch, and they reentered the ship to find Don arguing with Maureen that he was ready to leave the warm confines of the space ship.

"No need, Don," John told him as he jumped into the conversation. "The outdoor work is all done."

"I wanna go back to _Travelin' Man_ and scavenge what I can," Don said.

"There isn't much to that ship, Don. It's not worth the risk," John told him.

"We won't have the chance to find components that might actually be compatible with the _Jupiter _again… And anything we can scavenge from that ship is more than we have."

"All right, Don. Tomorrow we'll go see what's left for us to pull out of that ship, but then we're outta here. I don't want to spend one more moment on this asteroid than we have to."

____________________________________________

The fuse was tough to pull out, especially since Don's hands were about as functional as Dr. Smith's on a good work day. "Got it!" Don exclaimed as he pulled the small piece out of its compartment.

"We can't stay out here much longer, Don," John shouted from outside _Travelin' Man_. I promised Maureen we wouldn't be more than two hours.

"Just let me pull the heater core out, and I'll be done."

John wondered if Don saw the irony in his statement. "Gonna use that in your room so you won't need my daughter's body heat anymore?"

Don almost let the remark slide… almost… Judy hadn't left his room since she had draped her almost naked self over him to warm him. The first night he had curled around the heated pots Maureen had brought him and Judy had slept behind him. They were nestled like spoons, but his mind was still too numb to take advantage of the situation. The second night, Judy had waited until everyone was asleep before she crept into his bed. She nestled into his side as he slept; his hands still bandaged and unworkable. He didn't know she was there until morning. Tonight would have been the third night, and he promised himself that he wouldn't be asleep if she entered his room again. "John…" Don emitted a string of hot air, but then he calmed himself. "John… marry us when we go back," Don said.

An answer was out of John's mouth before he opened it. "No."

Don tugged at the heater core and asked, "Why?" John didn't answer. Don tugged at the core again. It was more stubborn than the fuse had been. "I can't get it out."

John waited a beat and commented, "And that's exactly why I won't marry you and Judy tonight."

Don's first instinct was to argue with him, but he thought better of it. He needed to approach John on a rational level, not an emotional one. He had to agree that being married on an asteroid wasn't what he and Judy originally had in mind, but it was only going to be a matter of time before they would give in to their impulses. He hoped it would be with John and Maureen's blessings, but he wasn't sure how much longer they could hold out…

_________________________________________________

"And, from the information we were able to piece together from Major Hapgood's ship, we should be landing on a habitable planet within the month," John said. With that final comment, the family meeting was done… well… almost. "Anything else?" John asked the group.

Judy cleared her throat, "Um, yes, Dad, I'd like…" Don grabbed her hand to stop her, but she went on. "We want to be married before we lift off."

"No, Judy," John replied. "This is no place for a wedding."

"But I don't care about the wedding – I just want to be married."

Penny and Will exchanged looks and she asked, "May we be excused?"

John nodded and said, "That would be a good idea."

After the children left, Judy turned to her father and said, "Dad…"

Maureen glanced at her husband and interceded. "Judy, I know you wanted to be married on the next planet we set-foot on, but this is not a planet and space is not a place for a honeymoon."

John nodded and added, "Now, I suggest that we all retreat to our cabins – our _own_ cabins – and get a good night's sleep. We'll be lifting-off at oh-four-hundred."

Judy's frustration was building, but Don squeezed her hand and said, "We understand, John."

John nodded. "Good. See you in the morning."

John and Maureen left the room and Judy turned to Don and asked, "Why didn't you support me?"

"Because your Dad's right, Judy. This is no place for a honeymoon." He took Judy in his arms and hugged her close. "Your dad and I had a talk on our way back to the ship today. He really does understand. We have a target planet in mind, and he promised me that he will officiate at our wedding when we land there. It will only be a few more weeks."

"A lot can happen in a few weeks."

"I know… and we still have to get out of this asteroid field."

She realized he had larger things on his mind than weddings. She took his face in her hands and said, "You'll get us out of here. I have no doubt about that."

He smiled and pressed his lips to hers, and she leaned into him. Their lips parted. "Soon," he whispered to her, "Soon."

________________________________________________

The _Jupiter_ was ready for lift-off. Don had barely slept as he prepared the _Jupiter_ for her flight. Don was the last one to don his silver flight suit. He opened his door and found Judy waiting for him. She threw her arms around him and pulled him down for a kiss. "Just for luck," she told him.

"Thanks… I'm gonna need it," he responded. He left her to climb the steps to the upper deck.

John was already at the flight console. "Ready?"

"As ready as I can be," Don answered.

"All right, then. Let's go," John told him.

Don strapped in and ignited the engines. The Jupiter rose from the asteroid, and dipped strategically high and low as it avoided spinning asteroids coming from every direction. Don cursed that the _Jupiter_ handled more like an RV than a space ship as it hurtled between the flying rocks. Two giant twin boulders approached the _Jupiter_, one from the left and one from the right and filled the view port… Don saw no escape route!

__________________________________________

**End of Episode One: The Asteroid Field**

**__________________________________________**


	2. Episode 2 Space Rapture I

**D/J Project**

**Beyond the Series**

**Episode Two: Space Rapture – Part 1**

_Last week, as you recall, the Jupiter was pummeled by asteroids and forced into an emergency landing. The Robinsons discovered errant astronaut Jim Hapgood's stranded space ship, but no sign of Hapgood. Now, as the Jupiter attempts to escape the asteroid field, twin boulders hurl towards it at unpredictable speeds…_

"Look out!" John shouted as Don feverishly maneuvered the _Jupiter_ into opposite forty-five degree angles. The ship barely missed being pulverized by the flinging asteroids that filled her view port. Once safe from what he thought would be certain death, John breathed a sigh of relief. After a few more delft moves, Don had the _Jupiter_ back in open space.

Don sat back in his pilot's chair and whistled. "That was close," he said.

John stood and patted Don on the back and said, "Nice flying."

"That's what you pay me for," he responded.

John raised his eyebrows. "Pay you?"

Don smiled and said, "Your first born?" A scowl creased John's forehead and Don thought better of continuing. "Never mind…"

_____________________________________________

Star charts were scattered across the floor of the upper deck. To the untrained eye, it would have seemed as if the charts were dropped haphazardly on the floor. Will knew better. Don and his father had been studying the charts for hours. Don was entering coordinates into the navigator as the Robot called them out to him. The elevator ascended holding Dr. Zachary Smith. "There you are you pin-headed pumpkin!"

As Smith opened the elevator gate, Don raised his hand and shouted, "Smith, stop!" Smith obeyed, but only for a brief second, and then he strode across the floor, stepping on papers and kicking them off to the side as he made his way to the Robot. Don raised his eyes to the heavens and grumbled, "Smith…"

Smith innocently asked, "What? I've done nothing wrong."

"Dr. Smith," Will complained, "you just wrecked our course!"

"Course? All I did was walk into the room…"

"Smith! Do you know how many hours it took for John, me and the Robot to piece that puzzle together?" Don asked him.

"Puzzle? What puzzle?"

"A map of the galaxy! That's what puzzle!" Don clenched his fists and said, "Oh, I outta…"

"Now, Major, no harm has been done." Dr. Smith bent down and picked up papers, turning them this way and that. "I'm sure I can piece it back together for you… child's play… Did I tell you I was the Lincoln Log champion of New York City when I was a child?"

Don grabbed the papers from Smith's hands, and said through clenched teeth. "Stop, Smith. Just… stop."

"No need to be testy, Major. Besides, why not have the navigator plot your course. That would be much simpler, you know.

"That's exactly what we were going to do Smith… once this information was entered into its data banks!"

"What do we do now, Don?" Will asked.

"We start from scratch, that's what. And we just might miss our opportunity for plotting a course change, thanks to your good friend, Dr. Zachary Smith."

The Robot intervened. "I can be of assistance, Major West. I have a photographic memory. With Will's help, we can lay the papers back in place."

Don handed the papers to Will. "Be my guest." Then he grabbed Dr. Smith's arm, and pulled him to the elevator. "You," he said as he pointed a finger in Smith's face, "stay locked in your cabin until we're finished."

________________________________________

Dinner was not quite ready for the table as Penny set the plates around the banquet. "Judy, do you really think Major Hapgood went off with aliens?" she asked.

"Maybe, Penny. We were ready to take J-5 with us when we found him. Maybe he teamed up with friendly aliens like the Taurons."

"I suppose that's possible. Maybe he even fell in love with an alien female."

"He said he wanted to settle down and marry," Judy added.

"Oh, now, girls, don't you think that's rather far fetched?" Maureen asked as she brought a bowl of what looked like chili onto the table. "I mean a human and an alien…"

"Why not, mother?" Judy responded. "Humanoids might have the same anatomy."

"But their children would be…"

"Maybe it's not about children."

"What if it was?" Penny asked. "What's wrong with that?" She started to shake and didn't understand why. Then it hit her and her eyes filled with tears. "The only chance _I_ might ever have of having a child is with an… an alien!" Penny cried and she ran out of the kitchen area.

Penny literally ran into Don and Dr. Smith as they came off the elevator. "Whoa!" Don said after her, but Penny ran into her room and didn't look back.

Judy was steps behind her and Don asked her, "What's wrong with Penny?"

"A teenage moment, no doubt," Dr. Smith commented.

"Shut-up, Smith," Don told him.

"He's right, Don. Penny's upset about having children."

"Children? She's only fourteen years old!"

Dr. Smith clucked his tongue. "A beautiful young lady and no one to court her..."

"You might be right, Dr. Smith. I mentioned J-5, too."

"Oh, come on, now. You don't think she's still…" Don started to say.

"She's been stuck on this space ship for weeks with nothing to distract her, Don. I'm afraid she's getting depressed."

"And I am not surprised, my dear," Dr. Smith said. "The way these men treat you all – like servants – except for me of course."

Don turned to Smith, an incredulous look on his face. "What? You're the only one who expects to be waited on hand on foot!"

Judy rolled her eyes and defended Dr. Smith. "He is _not_ the only one."

"Are you saying that _I_ treat you like a servant?"

"Well… yes."

Dr. Smith smiled at himself as the couple continued to argue. He had successfully distracted Don from locking him in his room, and he escaped to the dinner table with neither Judy nor Don noticing. Smith chuckled silently to himself. _"The major is so easily manipulated," _he thought. _"At least I have __something__ to keep me occupied in the vast boredom of space travel…"_

________________________________________

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**

________________________________________

The coordinates were finally entered into the navigator and a course had been set for what they hoped would be a habitable system. John had retired for the night with his wife and all was quiet on the ship. Only Don and the Robot stood guard over the _Jupiter_ as she continued to wend her way through the nether reaches of the galaxy. "I'll be glad when we're outta this… this no-man's land," Don commented.

"_No-alien's land_ would be a better description, Major West," the Robot said.

"No-man, no-alien… These rocks out here couldn't support an amoeba, Robot," Don replied.

"You are correct, Major West. In order to support an amoeba…"

The console lit up in alarms. "What the…" Don studied the panel and looked out the view port window. "I don't see anything…"

Within moments, John was stepping off the ladder and onto the upper deck. "What is it?" he asked.

"I don't know," Don responded.

"We are entering an area of severe electromagnetic interference," the Robot replied.

"What's causing it?" John asked.

"I do not know, Professor Robinson," the Robot replied. "It may be a natural occurrence in this part of the universe."

The rest of the family soon joined them, Maureen and the children in their robes, Dr. Smith in his sleeping cap. "John?" Maureen asked.

Before John could answer, a high pitched whine erupted from the speakers and rose to unbearable decibels. The family covered their ears, but to no avail as each one of them dropped to the floor, unconscious.

Will was the first to stir. He shook his head as he sat up and looked around at his fallen family… his mother, his father, his sisters. He had no idea who the other two men were. The last thing he remembered was playing with Legos in his room… but he was no longer in his room. "Where the heck am I?" he asked himself. He crawled over to his father and shook him. "Dad? Dad, wake-up," he begged.

John Robinson shook himself awake. "Are you all right, Will?" he asked. Will nodded and John went to his wife while Will nudged his sisters.

"Oh, my," Maureen said as John helped her to her sit up. "I must have fallen asleep." She looked around. "John? Where are we?"

"Looks like something out of Alpha Control… a simulator, perhaps," he replied.

Don groaned. He felt as if he had been caught in the spin cycle of a washing machine. His eyes snapped open and five faces stared at him. Reflexes took over. "West. Lieutenant. 07241936."

John nodded to him. "Lieutenant."

"_Who are these people?"_ Don thought to himself. None of them looked familiar – except for the blond woman. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind he thought he knew her.

Smith sat up. "I'm innocent!" he exclaimed. He looked around. "Where am I?" he asked.

"You are on the space ship called the _Jupiter 2_," the Robot replied.

"Space ship?" Dr. Smith repeated. "I should say not! I am leaving." He stood and walked to the doorway.

Before he could press the button that would open the hatch, Don was by his side and grabbed his arm. "Oh, no you don't," Don told him.

"Unhand me, sir."

"Nobody touches anything until we know what's going on here."

The girls huddled together, but both eyed the handsome young man, eager to make his acquaintance. Will stood and walked over to the Robot. "What are you?" he asked.

"Do you not know me, Will Robinson? I am your trusted robot friend," the Robot responded.

"A robot… Wow! You're almost like a real person."

"A real person in a Halloween costume, no doubt," Dr. Smith said. "And we are all floating in space and suffering from space rapture. Ridiculous! I know none of you. I demand to be let out of this contraption!"

"Look, I don't know who you are or what you're doing here – or what any of us is doing here for that matter – but you sit down and keep your mouth shut!" Don told him as he pushed him into one of the pilot's chairs. Don looked at the family. "Who are you?"

"I am Professor John Robinson and this is my family," John replied. "My wife, Maureen, and my children, Judy, Penny and Will," John replied as each one nodded to Don.

"And who are you?" the beautiful blond woman asked him.

"Lieutenant Donald West of the United States Space Corps," he replied. "Training at Alpha Control… I think."

"Negative, Major West. You are no longer in training," the Robot told him. "As I told Dr. Smith, you and the Robinson family are on the _Jupiter 2_ in the, as you yourself said, _'no-man's land'_ of space."

Don was profoundly confused, as were the rest of the passengers. "You mean to tell me that this is not a simulation. We're in space… right now."

"Affirmative."

"That is preposterous!" Dr. Smith said. "A dream. Yes. That's right. This is just a… a terrible nightmare… I will awaken and be in my own bed." He stood, but had no idea where to go.

Don pushed him back down into the seat. "Look, Smith – if that's your real name – you're not going to move until we tell you to move. Understand?"

"Humph! I outrank you, sir. I am Colonel Dr. Zachary Smith. No one gives me orders."

"If I were you, Colonel," the blond woman told him, "I would sit down and do what the lieutenant tells you to do."

"Judy!" Maureen admonished her. "That's no way to talk to an authority figure."

Judy blushed. Her mother was right, but, for whatever reason, she trusted the lieutenant's instincts. Don smiled at her in appreciation, and she smiled back… intrigued.

Penny watched the exchange and sighed. Her beautiful sister had struck again. Well, once they were off this ship, she would find her friends, but… she had no memory of friends, and she had no idea where she would go or what she would do once this simulation was over.

John walked up to the console and stared out the window. "If this is a simulation, those star configurations are nothing I've seen before."

Don nodded. "Nothing familiar at all, but the worst thing we can do is walk out that hatch without figuring out whatever it is we're supposed to do."

"I repeat, this is not a simulation," the Robot said.

"Come on, Robot, what would a family be doing out in space?" Don asked.

"They are to colonize the planet Alpha Prime in the Alpha Centauri star system," the Robot said. "You are their pilot, Major West."

No one responded. The Robot's story made no sense to them, yet, they weren't able to contest it. John noted that he and his family were dressed in their night clothes. "Let's take a look below. If we've got beds down there, I suggest we use them. We'll take a fresh look at things in the morning."

Don shrugged. He'd never heard of twenty-four hour simulations, but that didn't mean that this couldn't be one. "I'll come with you and see if anything looks familiar," he told John. "But I'm not going to sleep until I make sense of whatever is happening here."

Herding his family below, John and the children discovered their belongings in the cabins and retired to their respective beds. John discovered and began reading the journals he had been keeping for the last three years. He couldn't believe his own words.

___________________________________________

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**

___________________________________________

No one slept much that night. As John read in his cabin, Don familiarized himself with the equipment, checked all of the storage areas, and then settled into the seat at the console on the lower deck to familiarize himself with the controls. Judy left her cabin and prepared a cup of tea for herself and a second one for their pilot. Judy balanced both cups in her hands as she approached Don. "Lieutenant West?" Judy called. "I thought you might like something to keep you going."

The Robot stood by Don as he studied the console and turned to Judy as she walked towards them. "He is not a lieutenant, Judy Robinson. He holds the rank of major."

"_Major_ West," Judy corrected as she held the cup out for him to take.

Don smiled. "I don't remember any promotions, so, uh, just call me Don."

"Okay… Don."

"You're Judy, right?"

She nodded. If the Robot could have rolled its eyes, it would have. "You and Judy Robinson have known each other for many years now. In fact, you are engaged to be married to each other when we land on a habitable planet," he told them.

Don flinched. _"Marriage?"_ he thought. He had pushed that idea far from his mind when he had joined the space corps.

"Oh, I don't think so, Robot," Judy told him. "I'm going to become an actress."

The Robot groaned. "You cannot become an actress, Judy Robinson. We are lost in space."

"Lost in space?" Don asked. "Is that what this simulation is about?"

"Major West!" The Robot was about to explode, but Penny approached carrying two cups of tea.

"Judy! What are you doing here?" she asked.

Judy eyed the cups in Penny's hands. "The same thing _you're_ doing here," she replied.

The last thing Don needed was a rivalry between the two beautiful sisters. He stood and took a cup from Penny's hands. "That's fine, uh, Penny, right? I always have a second cup."

While the girls were vying for Don's attention, Dr. Smith, wearing his space suit, sneaked out of his cabin. "Space ship, indeed," he mumbled to himself as he pressed the button to the inner door. There was a space vest and helmet hanging on a hook, and he took both. "I am sure that nattering ninny spoke nonsense. Still…" he said as he donned the vest and helmet, "it is best to be safe…" Dr. Smith pressed the button to the outer hatch and, instead of stepping into a brightly lit room in Houston as he had expected, was whisked out into open space. "Oh, dear…"

Penny's eyes went wide as a vision passed by the lower port window. She pointed towards a figure that drifted by the window. "Do you see what I see?" she asked Judy and Don. Both turned.

"Oh, Don!" Judy exclaimed.

"That no-good… Get your father," Don commanded. "I'm going out there to get him." Penny ran off to her father's cabin as Don scrambled to the upper deck, Judy not far behind him. Don was vested and about to put on his helmet when John jumped off the ladder, Will following him and Maureen appearing in the elevator.

"You're not going out there," John told him.

"This is part of my training," Don replied.

"This is not training!" John told him.

"You mean…"

"Yes! This is real and I won't risk losing our pilot. Now give me that helmet and harpoon. I'll shoot that line to him."

Don was incredulous, but complied with John's request. Maureen wasn't happy either. "John, you can't," she told him.

John looked in her eyes and said, "I'll be fine." John nodded to his family when he was ready. The hatch opened and John hooked himself to the ship before he let himself drift out into space. Will and the girls watched from the window and winced as John shot the harpoon towards Smith, but missed.

"Oh, save me, please!" Smith begged. John re-armed the harpoon and shot the line a second time – and Smith caught it. John reeled him into the outer hatch and closed the door. The girls let him into the Jupiter and all breathed a sigh of relief as Smith and John removed their helmets.

Don grabbed Smith's helmet from his hands and grumbled, "Space rapture, huh?"

"I think it's time we listen to that Robot," John told his family.

_________________________________________

The Robot completed his tales of the last three years. "…And the electromagnetic interference we encountered caused all of you to lose your memories."

The family stared at each other, dumbfounded. Will was the first to speak. "How do we get our memories back, Dad?"

John shook his head. "I wish I knew, Will."

Judy stood and turned away from the others. She felt as if she were going to be sick to her stomach. "I… I can't believe we're millions of miles from home." She turned back to her parents. "How could you have done this to us?"

Her parents looked at each other and neither spoke, for they were wondering the same thing themselves.

Don stood and reached out to her. Although he barely knew her, he needed to comfort her. "Judy…" he said.

Judy stepped away from him. "Don't touch me! I don't know you." She wrapped her arms around her stomach and her hand went to her mouth. She was going to be sick and ran into the lavatory.

Don was tempted to follow her, but before he could take a step, the Robot started waving his arms. "Warning! Warning! The Jupiter is approaching another area of turbulence!" This time the danger was visible in their view port. Glittering blue strands hung before them like a net. The family was tossed to the left then to the right as the Jupiter was caught in the sparkling web…

________________________________________

**End of Episode 2: Space Rapture- Part 1  
**

**___________________________________**


	3. Episode 3 Space Rapture II

**D/J Project:**

**Beyond the Series**

**Episode 3: Space Rapture (Part 2)**

_Last week, as you recall, the Jupiter 2 passed through an electro-magnetic field causing its passengers to lose their memories. As the family pondered how to reverse the effects of their amnesia, the Jupiter hurtled towards another unknown galactic phenomenon, not knowing if they would survive the passage…_

The Jupiter was caught in the strands of the glittering blue curtain. "Give her more power!" John exclaimed.

"I'm at maximum power now!" Don replied.

"Oh, dear, oh dear, we're doomed!" Dr. Smith shouted. "Caught like a fly in a spider's web!"

Don hit the reverse thrusters, but the ship still could not break free of the web of light. "What now?"

"Maybe we can burn it off," John suggested.

"With what?" Don asked.

"I think we have neutron guns."

Alarmed, Maureen told him, "John, you can't go out there."

Don feverishly looked over the console for inspiration. The light that burned through their window was increasing in intensity. The longer he stared at the console, the more familiar it became. "Fuel… impurities…" he mumbled to himself.

Dr. Smith threw his hand in front of his face to shield his eyes from the increasing light. Penny ran to her mother and buried her face in her shoulder. Will turned to the Robot, his best friend, and John turned his head away from the brightness.

"Hold on!" Don shouted. He reduced the power on the back thrusters and the Jupiter settled onto the web like a Frisbee tossed onto a bush.

"What are you doing?" John asked.

"Getting us out of here," Don replied. He hoped the fuel tank was attached to a strand of blue at the correct angle. "I'm going to burn the impurities in the fuel tank," Don explained and he hit a button. A controlled burst of flames burned a hole in the web of blue light and Don turned the Jupiter towards the opening, twisting the web. He hit the gas pedal at full force and the Jupiter slipped through the web, strands of blue light dangling off its sides as it broke away from the phenomenon. The bright light that had engulfed the interior of the ship faded as the Jupiter continued on its course.

"How did you do that?" Will asked.

"I remembered the last time we burned off impurities in the fuel… when we landed on Earth – 1947… Wait a minute… I remembered! My memory is back."

Will thought for a moment. "Hey, me too! I went back to Earth twice!"

"That's right. You brought back carbon tetrachloride," Penny added.

Dr. Smith plopped into a chair and moaned, "Oh, woe is me. We truly are lost in space…"

Maureen nodded. "Yes, we are, but I still managed to make cherry pie," she said.

"And chocolate cake," John added.

"And Judy made Boston cream pie," Penny said.

"Judy… Where is she?" Don asked. The elevator rose to the upper deck, a disheveled Judy stepped off the elevator. Don approached her, grinning from ear to ear.

"Don't come near me!" Judy told him as she held up to hand to stop him. "I thought you were supposed to be a pilot, not a-a- roller coaster operator."

"Ah, honey, I'm sorry. You didn't get any warning, but our memories are back. We're going to be okay!" Judy didn't react, and fear crept up Don's spine. "Judy?" He saw the blank look on her face.

Penny tried to jog her sister's memory. "Judy, remember when we landed on Earth and it was 1947," she asked. "And that cute guy thought we were aliens and captured you?" Judy stared at her sister, confused. "How about the time you were in the beauty contest?"

"Or when you and I found Dr. Smith, when he was turning into a stalk of celery?" Will asked.

Judy looked at her family as if they had all escaped from a mental asylum. "I don't know what any of you are talking about," she told them.

Don grabbed her forearm, "Judy," he said, "you've got to remember."

She pulled away from his touch. "But I don't. All I know is that I want to go home!"

"Now, Judy, you know we can't do that," John told her gently. Dr. Smith smiled to himself. Could it be that he now had a compatriot?

"What is the last thing you remember, Judy?" Maureen asked her.

"Summer stock when I was with Aunt Colleen and Joan in California."

"Then you remember the yellow roses I gave you after you were in Oklahoma?" Don asked her.

"Flowers? I don't remember any roses. And it wasn't Oklahoma. It was Carousel… That was when I decided to become an actress."

"Oh, dear," Maureen murmured.

"I believe I can explain why Miss Judy did not have her memories restored. She was not exposed to the blue light that engulfed the _Jupiter 2_ through its windows," the Robot stated.

"Then, if we go back and run into that light again, she'll be okay," Will suggested.

"No!" Dr. Smith exclaimed, "We would surely get caught in the web again." He did not want to lose a possible ally. If _she_ wanted to return to Earth, surely the major would comply.

Don let go of Judy's arm. "We destroyed the web when be broke through it."

"Are you absolutely sure?" John asked him.

Don shrugged. The life seemed to drain from his face. He was sure. He had seen it break into millions of pieces as the _Jupiter_ punched through the hole he had created to escape. "I know it's gone."

John wouldn't accept his pessimism. "Turn her around, Don. We go back."

Don returned to his pilot's chair. The _Jupiter_ completed a one hundred and eighty degree turn and headed back to the area of phenomenon. It would only take a few moments.

John led Judy to the co-pilots chair and she sat. "The light will be very bright, Judy. You can close your eyes, but stay in your seat," he told her.

Judy nodded. She glanced at Don. His despondency was obvious. This would be a futile trip. She willed herself to remember something, anything about this young man, but other than the last few hours, she had no memories of him.

"Coming up on the phenomenon zone," Don announced. There was no broken web of blue light.

"Are you sure?" John asked.

Don nodded. "The web is gone."

* * *

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**

* * *

Maureen watched her daughter fumble her way through helping with lunch. She hoped that becoming involved in the mundane tasks of the _Jupiter_ would help trigger something… anything that would help Judy regain her memories.

Judy had no idea how anything worked in the galley and turned to her mother to explain what the rotating belt was for that ran across the table, but her mother only said, "You'll figure it out, Judy." Penny didn't have the patience of her mother and pushed the button that started the belt rolling.

"Food comes out on it," she told her.

"Oh," Judy responded.

Maureen sighed. "Judy, why don't you call everyone to lunch while Penny and I finish up here?"

"I'll do it, mom," Penny said.

"No, Penny, I'd like to talk with you for a few minutes. Besides, it will give Judy some time to talk with Dr. Smith and Don. Maybe she'll begin to remember them."

Judy was relieved to be allowed to leave the galley. She assumed Don would be at the upper deck console and noticed that only one bedroom door was closed. That had to be where Dr. Smith was. She knocked on his door. "Judith, dear," he greeted her and pulled her into his room, shutting the door behind her. "Just the person I want to speak with. You poor dear, trapped on this nightmarish adventure into the beyond, when all you want is to go back home… to Earth.

"Yes, um… Dr. Smith. I still can't believe we're out here – wherever _'here' _is."

"Perhaps we can change that."

"But my father said we can't go back."

"Come now, Judith, why couldn't we? If we can chart a course for Alpha Centauri, why couldn't we chart a course for Earth?"

"I don't know, Dr. Smith. I don't know anything about space flight."

"But the major does, and he is quite smitten with you, you know. You truly were to be married. In fact, I myself tried to find a planet on which to land so that the blessed event could take place."

"Well, I'm not going to marry a stranger."

"Of course not, my dear, but you can still influence the man."

"What are you suggesting, Dr. Smith?"

"You are a woman. He is a man. I'm sure he would – literally – give you the world if you wanted it."

"You want me to get Don to take us back to Earth?"

"If anyone can… you can."

"Oh, Dr. Smith… I don't know."

"Think about it, my dear. It may your only chance to resume a normal life."

Judy knew what he said was true, although she still had no memory of Don proposing to her, or even having a relationship with him, for that matter. There was something deep down in her being that whispered to her that she knew Lieutenant, or Major Donald West, and that they had planned a 'normal' life together. _A normal life…_ maybe Dr. Smith was right. How could she ever have a 'normal' life flying through the galaxy? She had planned for her life to be on the stage, and there was only one place where that could happen… Earth.

As she left Dr. Smith and climbed up the ladder to the upper deck, she wished she had the wherewithal to follow Dr. Smith's advice. As it was, she had no idea how to approach Don about their past, let alone try to manipulate him into abandoning their ridiculous mission. "Don?" she called. He was sitting at the console, as she had predicted, and turned at her call. There was a spark when his eyes met hers, but it quickly faded as he realized that there still was no real recognition in her eyes. "Um, lunch is ready," she told him.

"Uh, thanks, I'll be down." She nodded and turned to go. "Judy?" She looked back at him with her beautiful, innocent smile. It took his breath away and he couldn't continue. "Never mind," he said.

As the family gathered around the table, Judy stood aside, not knowing where her place was. There were two seats left across from her parents, and when Don stepped off the ladder he steered her towards her usual place and sat down beside her.

"I see the conveyor belt made a healthy lunch for us today," John teased his wife. "Corned beef sandwiches?"

"Peanut butter and jelly," Maureen replied. "Our meat supplies are running low."

"My favorite!" John said. "With coffee?"

Maureen nodded and smiled. She adored her husband. She knew he was not fond of peanut butter and jelly, but he would make the best of the situation – happily.

"Judy," Penny asked. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you." Judy looked at her expectantly. "You said that the last thing you remember is the summer you spent with Aunt Colleen… the summer before we started training, but you were only, like, fifteen years old then, weren't you?"

"Fifteen or sixteen," she answered.

"Is that how old you think you are now?"

"Um… no, I guess not because I certainly don't feel like I'm sixteen. Somehow I know I'm twenty-two, but I just don't remember how I got to _be_ twenty-two."

Don shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He wondered what it would take for her to remember the moments that they'd had together since they first met… and there were many of them.

"Judy," Maureen interrupted. "You taped a running journal to your cousin, Joan. If you listen to them, you might remember something – or at least you'll know what happened to you during the last few years."

"All right," she said, "I'll listen to them after dinner."

* * *

Hours later, dinner was finished. Maureen, Dr. Smith and children were playing Scrabble, but Judy was still in her room listening to her tapes. As Don and John set-up a game of chess, John noticed Don's tension. "Worried about Judy?"

Don sighed as he sat down across from John. "Yeah… I hope the tapes do the trick."

"They will, Don. I'm sure her memories will re-surface sooner or later."

'_How much later,'_ Don thought to himself. He and Judy had already waited years. "What if… what if it takes months… years for her to regain her memory?" he asked John.

"Be patient Don. You've waited this long for her."

And he would wait longer still. What other choice did he have?

"Zanadu… triple word score… that is forty-eight points!" Dr. Smith exclaimed.

"You are cheating, Dr. Smith," the Robot claimed.

"Preposterous! That is a perfectly legitimate word."

"Proper nouns are not allowed, Dr. Smith," Maureen chided him.

"It has evolved from a proper noun to mean a place of idyllic beauty, Mrs. Robinson."

"It is spelled with an X, Dr. Smith, not a Z. Word is not allowed," the Robot proclaimed.

"Humph!" Dr. Smith grumbled.

The accordion door to Judy's and Penny's room finally opened and Judy emerged. Although she was anxious to know if the tapes had jogged her memory, Maureen was afraid to ask, so instead she said, "Judy, I've kept your dinner warm. Come join us at the table and take my place while I get it for you."

"Did you learn anything from the tapes, Judy?" her father asked.

Judy glanced around at all the faces. "I learned that we've led a horrible life."

"Judy!" Maureen admonished her. "It has not been horrible."

"Yes, it has, mother. All I did was take care of the hydroponic garden, help you with the housework and… darn socks. We've led a rather mundane existence."

"But what about all the adventures we've had?" Will asked.

"You mean adventures that _you've_ had," Judy corrected him.

"You've had adventures too," Will told her. "You were duplicated and asleep in a plant."

"And there was that guy from Hades," Penny added.

"You mean Lyrea," Judy corrected.

"You remembered!"

"No, I heard it on the tapes." She emitted a frustrated groan, "Oh, this is not what I had planned for my life!"

"Yes, my dear, you are as much prisoner as I am… longing to go home again," Dr. Smith commented.

"Shut-up, Smith!" Don warned him.

"He's right, Don!" Judy exclaimed. "I'll never get a chance to sing and act and…"

Don couldn't stand it any more and interrupted her. "You decided to give that up, Judy, when you…"

"When I what?"

He didn't want to say this in such a public forum, but it had to be said. "When you fell in love with me."

That comment was meant with silence by all… except Dr. Smith. "That was before she lost her memory, Major. As a specialist in environmental psychology, I can assure you that without her memories, she is no longer in love with you."

The Robot finally spoke. "A simple kiss may bring those memories back, Major West."

"Pshaw!" Smith interrupted. "That is simply romantic rubbish!"

Don stood. "We'll see about that." He ignored the others in the room and approached Judy, gripping her upper arms. "Are you willing?" he asked.

He stared into her eyes and she almost felt naked. She realized that he knew parts of her that were buried deep within her psyche... parts that she couldn't remember. She stared back into his ardent eyes and _wanted_ to remember. She wanted to remember every moment she had spent with him. He leaned down and touched her lips and she responded, desperate to be held by him. Her arms wrapped around his neck and their kiss deepened. It seemed like an eternity until someone in the room cleared their throat and they both came up for air.

"Well?" Don whispered.

Nothing… but that kiss… Judy blushed like a ripe tomato still on the vine, but she had to be honest. "The kiss felt… familiar… but… no memories, Don. I'm sorry."

"Well, then," Don grinned. "I guess I'll have to make you fall in love with me all over again."

* * *

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**

* * *

It had been several days since Judy had shared that kiss with Don. He, Penny and Will had told her tale after tale of their training days in Houston, but she made no progress. Don decided a new approach was warranted. It was time to court her.

As John and Don worked together on replacing an oxygen sensor on the ship, Don asked him, "John, I have a favor to ask tonight."

John raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"

"I'd like to, uh, take Judy on a date tonight."

"What did you have in mind?"

"You know that tape Judy made for me when I was going to take off in the raft?"

"You mean the SS Space Raft?"

"Yeah. I, uh, I thought I'd bring her to my room to listen to it."

John knew Don was going to misinterpret what he was going to say next. He truly felt for his friend, but he still had to protect his daughter. "Don, don't you think that would be… intimidating for her?"

"John, I wouldn't take advantage of her, if that's what you're thinking."

"That's not what I'm thinking."

Don sighed. John was probably right, but he wouldn't give up. "We need to have some privacy, John."

"I agree," John replied. He thought about Don's predicament. "How about if we all turn in early and you and Judy can have the upper deck to yourselves?"

Don smiled. "I'll take that offer."

Hours later, Don led Judy to the upper deck, dessert in hand, while the rest of the family cleaned up dinner and prepared for bed. They sat in the pilot chairs across from each other. Don was almost as nervous as he had been on their first date. Then he realized that in Judy's current state of mind, this _was_ their first date.

"Have I told you about our weekend in Galveston when my roommate, Mike, got married?"

"Weekend? You mean… we were together? For a whole weekend?"

"Yup… Same room… same bed…" He could see her shrink into her seat. He leaned forward and took her hand. "Don't worry. We didn't, uh, do it… Came close a few times, but not yet…"

She relaxed. That was one thing she would not have wanted to forget. Don told the story of the wedding and how he and Judy had almost eloped.

"Your car was blown-up?" Judy asked.

"Do you remember how close you came to being blown-up with it?" Don responded.

"Don, I told you, I don't remember anything. It's like hearing about someone else's life."

"Which brings me to why we're up here." He produced the tape she had made for him. "Do you remember this?" he asked, then regretted his question. He could see from her face that she didn't, but she didn't answer – Dr. Smith did.

The elevator rose and Dr. Smith stepped off as he said, "Of course she does not remember… you… cad. How irritating of you to continue to pester this poor young woman about her memory." He had been eavesdropping at the bottom of the shaft, ready to interfere if necessary. The last thing he wanted was for Judy's memories to return.

If Don had been within striking distance of Smith, he would have been out cold on the hard metal floor. "Smith! I could…"

Before Don could continue the speaker erupted in static. A series of musical notes was heard. "What the…" The music was repeated several times.

"Someone's trying to communicate with us," Judy told him.

Don scanned the radar. "Yeah, but who? Smith! Get the Robot up here, and call John. Looks like we've got company."

John was up within moments. The music repeated, louder and louder. "What's going on?" John shouted.

"I don't know," Don replied. The music continued at a higher and higher pitch. The noise was piercing and they covered their ears in pain…

To be continued next week!

Same time…

Same website…

* * *

**End of Episode 3: Space Rapture – Part 2**


	4. Episode 4 Musical Encounters

**D/J Project:**

**Beyond the Series**

**Episode 4: Musical Encounters**

_Last week, as you recall, the Jupiter 2 was caught in a web of blue light that restored the memories of all on board, except for Judy Robinson. After escaping the fortuitous trap, the Robinsons and Major West tried in vain to nudge the return of Judy's memories. While Major West was attempting to enthrall Judy in yet another memory activity, their ears were assaulted by excruciating music…_

The Robot and Smith exited the elevator with Smith shouting, "Stop that infernal noise!"

John Robinson would have if he could have. He stepped over to the microphone, pulled it out of his housing and pressed the button. He hoped the intruders would hear his plea. "This is Professor John Robinson of the _Jupiter 2_! Do you read me?" There was no response. "This is John Robinson of the _Jupiter 2_," he repeated. "Do you _read_ me?"

Judy ran to her father's side and took the microphone from his hands. She sang a C major scale… no change. Then she tried a D major scale, then an A minor, G major… and on until she had sung every major and minor musical scale. Finally… the piercing notes being sent over their intercom ceased.

Don grinned at Judy, but before he or John had a chance to say anything to her, the intercom again came to life. The scales Judy had just sung were repeated by whoever or whatever the intruders were. After every scale had been played perfectly on pitch, there was silence. Judy turned to her father, a question mark on her face. She sang the major scales first, A through G and then the minor scales. The intruders sang a short melody in a major key.

"They're telling us something," John said.

"Yeah, but what?" Don asked.

Judy closed her eyes and let the music take her. She sang a melody in return. The intruders responded. Judy sang a final phrase. "They want us to dock with their ship," she explained.

"What ship?" Don asked. Beyond the viewport a huge triangular ship appeared out of thin air. Don turned to John, eyebrows raised. "What the… Where the heck did that come from?"

"Cloaking technology?" John suggested.

"I'm not docking with a strange ship. I don't care what kind of technology they have."

"Don, you don't have to worry. I believe they're friendly," Judy told him.

"Judy, you believe _everybody's_ friendly," Don said.

A musical melody, this time in a minor key, was heard. Judy replied again. "Dad, I think we should listen to them," she told him.

"Then we'll dock," John said.

"John, we can't," Don flat out told him. "How can we even be sure that's what they want us to do?"

Judy crossed her arms and silently fumed at him. How dare he question her musical intuition? She was about to open her mouth when the Robot came to her defense. "Judy Robinson is correct, Major West. They have translated their language into our musical scales… similar to Morse Code."

"Fascinating," Dr. Smith commented.

"Don't get any ideas, Smith," Don warned. "I still don't think it's a good idea to dock with them, John. We would be at their mercy."

"I understand your concerns, Don, but I trust my daughter. We dock. Judy, go below and tell the rest of the family to strap in."

Don still didn't agree with him, but had little choice than to follow orders.

* * *

The docking went smoothly, and the family gathered on the upper deck and prepared for their encounter with yet another alien species. Although Judy had assured them that their intruders were friendly, they were not going to take any chances. Don and John strapped on their laser pistols. "You won't need those," Judy told them.

"How do you know?" Don asked. "You trust them just because they can sing?"

Judy was offended. "Of course not! But I know they were sincere."

"And you know that because…"

"I just know, Don!"

Don rolled his eyes. She was still the innocent. He hung back as John prepared to open the hatch. Judy stood next to her father as the rest of the family lined up behind them. Penny stood next to her mother and Will stood beside Dr. Smith. The Robot was to be left behind to guard the ship. Penny glanced back at Don. She could tell that he was on high alert as he placed his hand on his holster, ready to pull it out at the slightest hint of hostility from the aliens.

The hatch opened and two beings stood at attention on the other side. The intruders were a species the Robinsons had never encountered. The aliens were humanoid in their appearance, but with skin tones in varying shades of blue. Their hair was a soft shade of gold and their eyes… their eyes were what set them apart from any being, human or otherwise. They glowed an almost copper color, as if they were made of brilliant metal.

The aliens bowed deeply and the shorter one sang a short melody of welcome. Judy responded in kind. The taller one bowed slightly towards them and then approached Judy and took her hand. She blushed as the alien looked deeply into her eyes. She felt as if he was connecting with her inner most thoughts. She couldn't disguise the fact that she found him attractive. He was taller and broader than Don or her father, but his skin was as soft as a Georgia peach. Both beings had long straight hair, and Judy did not know how she knew the taller one was a male, but somehow… she knew.

Don, like Judy, believed the taller alien was male. The shorter one took a step back and Don was sure it glared at Judy as it did so. Don swore under his breath. He didn't like the encounter between Judy and tall one either, but the male was an alien, he told himself, there was no reason to be jealous.

The tall alien sang two short notes and then pointed to the shorter one and sang two more. Judy repeated the notes as she pointed to each. The tall one nodded. Judy turned to her father. "He's telling us their names. This is [she sang the notes A to a lower C]." Penny and Will sang along with her. Then she pointed to the shorter one. "And this is [she sang a D note to the same C note.] Again, Will and Penny chorused her singing, along with John and Maureen.

John introduced himself and the rest of the crew. After each name, the shorter one would sing two notes, which he assumed was their own translation of their names. John was G-F, Maureen A-F, Will B-F, Penny D-F and Judy C-F. Don thought the notes would make a lovely melody when played in sequence. Dr. Smith's notes, however, were jarring, as the alien sang an A to E-flat. Don's notes had a down-right melancholic ring to them as the alien sang an E to a B-flat.

"How about giving those of us who can't sing a way of referring to them," Don asked Judy.

"Well, the taller one's notes are A to C and the shorter one is D to C," she replied.

"AC, DC. Got it." Then he smirked. "I wonder if they know what it means back on Earth?"

The taller one sang a short phrase in a minor key and Judy responded immediately in song. Then she turned to Don and reprimanded him, "AC did not like your tone. I apologized for you. Now stop acting like an adolescent."

He was about to give her a smart retort, but the tall one took Judy by the arm and led her and the rest of the family away from the docking bay. Dr. Smith turned to Don and said, "If musical themes are a harbinger of things to come, Major, you and I have not been well received. I suggest we watch our step."

It wasn't often that Don agreed with Smith, but he was thinking the same thing. "I'll watch your back if you watch mine, Smith."

Dr. Smith nodded. They understood each other perfectly.

* * *

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**

* * *

On the surface, the ship appeared to be a sophisticated musical disco. They were led to a main deck where the short one introduced them to yet another humanoid, this one much older, sitting behind a huge slab of what looked to be shiny black granite. This person, Judy explained, was the leader of the expedition.

"Expedition?" John asked her.

"Yes. They are explorers and were sent to map this quadrant of the galaxy."

"Judy," Don said, "if they've got maps, they might be able to help us locate Alpha Centauri. Can you ask him that?"

"I'll try," Judy replied, "But, Don, I also want to ask if they know anything about Earth."

"Go ahead," Don said.

Judy sang a musical melody and the short one replied in what Don guessed had to be a negative manner. The second question resulted in the same response. "They said that they have no knowledge of either planet, but that other expeditions might." The tall one then sang a long melody to her, and Judy nodded enthusiastically.

"What is it Judy?" her mother asked her.

"They want me to tell them more about Earth and our history. They want me to perform the story of Earth to the entire crew."

"Oh, Judy, that's wonderful!" Penny told her. "Can Will and I help?"

Dr. Smith immediately jumped on the bandwagon. "And I will direct. Yes, we will put on a marvelous show for them. They will be so enthralled, they will want to take us back to Earth and visit it themselves!"

Don glared at Smith and said, "So much for watching my back, Smith!"

"Well, Major, this is an opportunity to spread the beauty of our culture. And who better to do that these two beautiful women and their talented young brother."

* * *

While rehearsals for the "show" were taking place on the _Jupiter_, Don and John asked to meet with the navigators of the alien ship to compare star charts. The Robot accompanied Don and John to serve as their translator. They were taken by the short one into a small room that reminded them of an airport control tower. The short one introduced Don and John to the three navigators who were standing before a huge screen that showed star configurations of the quadrant of the galaxy they now inhabited.

One of the navigators screeched a high pitched request to the short one, who sang it back to the Robot. "They have asked to see the star charts that we have brought with us," the Robot told John and Don.

John nodded and said, "All right." Don had transferred all of the information they had gathered and entered into their navigator onto a series of large, rolled up sheets of paper, a blue print of where they had been. He unrolled it for them to study. There was what could only be described as excited screeching among them as they pointed to various stars and nodded to each other as they flipped through the pages.

After some time, Don finally said, "Robot, ask them if they know how these charts fit into what they have gathered on their mission."

The Robot asked the question, and the navigators ignored the question. Instead, they entered the information from the rolled up papers into their own system and new configurations appeared on the large screen before them.

Don mumbled, "I guess we have our answer."

"Does any of this look familiar, Don?" John asked.

"Robot, ask them to show the third screen again."

The Robot complied and the configuration appeared on the screen. "Do you think Alpha Centauri might be just off this map?" and he pointed to the left of the screen.

"Possibly," John replied. "What do you think?"

Don folded his arms and shook his head. "It's still a long way off," he said.

"But their information will certainly help us plot a course that will get us closer to it."

"That's true."

The tall one then entered the room and sang a song to the Robot. "Professor Robinson, the tall one has instructed me to tell you that you have beautiful, talented children. He has glimpsed their rehearsal and feels that it will be a valuable presentation to his people."

"Thank him for me, Robot." And the Robot did so.

The short one screeched a question to the tall one, who responded. "Robot, what are they saying?" Don asked.

"I do not know, Major West. They would need to translate their conversation into music for me to understand."

They could see that the conversation between the short one and tall one was getting heated. Their language might have been different, but their body language could have been read by any human on Earth. The short one was quite upset with the tall one. She slapped the tall one across the face and left the room.

Don and John stared at each other. They wondered what had happened to cause such a response. The tall one bowed slightly to Don and John and walked out of the room, going in the opposite direction of where the short one had gone. The three navigators screeched quietly to each other and emitted what could only have been laughter among themselves.

Don surmised that they had just witness a bit of jealousy between two lovers. He wondered if Judy had anything to do with their argument. "John, I'm, uh, going to go back to the ship, if that's okay. I'd like to check on Judy." John nodded. He was curious himself to know if his daughter was the cause of the argument, but he knew he had to give Don and Judy the chance to find their own way… without his interference.

* * *

Smith was eating a snack when Don reentered the _Jupiter_. "Smith, was that tall one here today?"

"Oh, yes, Major, and he is quite charming, you know. He and Judith communicate as if they have known each other forever."

Don grumbled something unintelligible and then said, "Do you know where she is?"

"Yes, I believe she is in her room."

Don knocked on Judy's doorframe and she answered. She held a journal in her hand and held it against her breast when she saw Don at the door. "Judy? Did, uh, anything happen while your father and I were with the navigators?"

"The tall one asked to see part of our show. He was impressed," she told him. "He said that we would be performing it for the crew tomorrow."

"Oh, uh, did anything else happen?"

"Well, he asked me if I would consider joining their mission."

Don's jaw dropped open. "What?"

"He wants me to travel with them."

"And your response was?"

"I told him that I needed time to think about it."

Heat was creeping up Don's neck, but he did his best to remain calm. "What do you mean 'you need time to think about it' – what about _our_ mission."

"_Our mission_ as in settling Alpha Centauri? Or _'our mission'_ as in you and I getting married?"

"Both! Why would you even consider going on their mission? What about your family? What about… me?"

Judy turned three shades of red. "Don, please understand… I still don't remember being in love with you."

"And you're not in love with me now."

"No… no, I'm not."

"But you'd drop me – and your family – to join that tall guy on some alien quest?"

"I didn't say I was going to do that!"

"But you're thinking about it!"

"I find him… charming… and intriguing."

"Well, you better take a good look at this guy. I just left him, and he that short one had a flat out argument! You just might be fooling around with a married man."

"Donald West, I am not _fooling around_. Now, if you'll excuse me…" and she closed the door in his face.

Don was so hurt and angry – he wanted to cry – but he wouldn't. He turned and saw that Maureen and Penny had been observing their interaction. He looked away from them and tried to walk by without making a comment, but Maureen touched his arm. "I'm concerned too, Don. She doesn't seem to know who she is or what she wants."

Penny, still standing in the galley said, "I think you're wrong, Mom. The tall one is fascinating."

"Why, Penny?" Don asked her. "Because he's an alien?"

"Why can't a human and an alien fall in love? I mean, it would be just like an interracial marriage back on Earth."

Don couldn't listen to this. He stomped over to the ladder and climbed up and out of sight.

Maureen turned to her youngest daughter. "That wasn't very sensitive of you, Penny. You know he's still very much in love with Judy."

Penny looked away. She hadn't thought about how Don was taking this and was now embarrassed by her carelessness. "I guess I should go up and apologize to him."

"Yes, I think you should."

Penny nodded and walked to the elevator. As it rose to the upper deck, she saw Don sitting in his pilot's chair staring at nothing. "Don?" she called.

He replied without looking at her. "Not now, Penny."

Penny didn't let that deter her. She walked up to him and said, "I'm sorry, Don. I didn't mean to get you upset."

He ran his hand across his eyes and sighed. "It's not your fault, Penny." He turned to her and continued. "From a, uh, galactic anthropological perspective, it _is_ fascinating. I just wish it wasn't Judy who was doing the experimenting."

* * *

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**

* * *

And Judy _was_ doing some experimenting. She had made arrangements to meet the tall one much later in the evening, and was sneaking out of the _Jupiter_ long after the rest of the family had gone to bed. Only Dr. Smith was aware that she had left her room, and so he followed her.

The tall one was waiting in the docking bay and took her by the arm, leading her to a private room that was bathed in a blue hue with soft music playing in the background. The shade and intensity of that blue light triggered a memory in Dr. Smith, but he dismissed it as inconsequential. The tall one closed the door, but, as far as Dr. Smith could tell, it was not locked. He quietly pushed it open a few inches and bent over to look through the crack so he could see just enough into the room to discern what was going on between the human and the humanoid. The tall one took Judy in his arms and swayed to the music. By the second song, he was rubbing his forehead against hers, but Judy turned her lips up to his and Dr. Smith was almost shocked to see that the two were soon entwined in a passionate embrace. "Oh, my," Dr. Smith said to himself. "This could be a problem. On the other hand," he told himself as he stood straight up, his elbow brushing against the door, "Judy could manipulate him into taking us back to Earth. Yes, this could be fortunate indeed." The tall one heard Dr. Smith's movement at the door and came to investigate.

Dr. Smith scurried away as the door was closed tightly by the tall one. As he reentered the ship, he almost crashed into Don, who was heading to the galley for a glass of water. "Smith, where are you coming from?" Don asked him.

Dr. Smith couldn't resist taunting the major with what he had just seen. "A small room near the docking bay," he replied. "One of our own has, shall we say, planned a rendezvous with our tall alien friend."

"Judy?" Don asked.

"Unfortunately for you… yes," he replied. "Our young woman is quite taken by that tall handsome male. Quite an improvement over her previous beau, I might add."

Don held himself back from slugging Smith. There was someone else he wanted to slug, and no one was going to stop him. He ran out of the ship and found the short one searching the area near the _Jupiter_. "You're looking for them too, huh?" Don said to her.

Neither one of them needed a translator. She led him to the door that Dr. Smith had just left. She pounded on the door, emitting a loud, sharp screech. The door was swung open by the tall one, who screeched right back at her. Don looked past the tall one and saw Judy in the background, looking as if she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

The look on her face turned to horror as the tall one and short one began an obvious argument. Then she saw Don. She could see that he was devastated. She tried to leave the room, but the tall one grabbed her arms to stop her. He sang to her while the short one's eyes threw daggers at Judy. Judy shook her head and sang softly back to the tall one. She swayed a bit and then put a hand to forehead. She felt as if she was going to faint, but held herself up, determined not to appear the weak female in front of either of the men, especially Don.

Don realized that Judy had gone to the tall one of her own accord and wanted so much to leave, but something held him in place. The tall one sang another phrase and the short one knocked his hand away from Judy's arm. The tall one raised his hand and threw a fist in the short one's face, sending her sprawling across the floor. She screeched in pain, and Don ran to her to help her up. Judy tried to pull away from the tall one, but he roughly pulled her back and she stumbled into the door frame, cutting her scalp when she banged her head against it.

Don strode over to the tall one and grabbed his hand, pulling it away from Judy. She held onto the door frame for support. Don shoved the tall one away from her, saying, "You want to hurt somebody? Try hurting me!" he shouted at him. The tall one backed away from Don, who stood with his fists clenched, ready to lash out at him.

Dr. Smith, who had followed Don, came out from his hiding place and helped Judy away from the men. Even he was dismayed by what he had just seen. "Major, I suggest we leave," Smith told him.

"Not until I get this guy to understand that he is not going to hurt Judy while I'm around."

"Major, I believe he understands that," Smith hurriedly told him.

The tall one screeched to the short one who screeched back at him and stomped away. The tall one sang a long song to Judy. She didn't answer as blood ran down her temple. She held onto Dr. Smith and said, "No."

The tall one understood. He waved the humans away and took another step back, far away from Don. He had had enough of these humans. An affair with a human was not worth having his face battered by the pugnacious one. The short one returned, holding several tubes of a blue neon-like substance. She sang a short phrase as she handed them to Don, and then pointed to her own head and then to Judy. Then she placed her hands on her hips and faced the tall one. When he saw the short one, he knelt down and bowed his head. The short one waved Don away and closed the door behind her.

Judy allowed Dr. Smith to lead her back to the Jupiter. Her mind, as well as her scalp was numb. Don followed them, afraid to touch her. When they reentered the Jupiter, Don knocked on Maureen's and John's bedroom door and told them that Judy was hurt. "What happened?" John asked, as Maureen hurried past Don.

Don sighed. "Let's just say that Judy arranged to have a close encounter."

"How close?" John asked.

Don shook his head. "Too close, as far as I'm concerned."

As Maureen examined Judy, Don handed the blue tubes to John. "I think the short one was telling me that they have healing powers."

Tears were falling from Judy's eyes as her mother looked at her scalp. "They do," Judy said without looking at Don. "She said to put it on the wound."

John took one of the blue-lit strips out of the tube and handed it to Maureen. She broke off a small piece of the strip and placed it on Judy's scalp. Maureen watched as the blue light grew bright on contact with the wound. Blood no longer oozed down Judy's temple, but Judy's face scrunched up in pain. "Judy?" Maureen said, concern in her voice.

Judy held her head, but it wasn't in pain. She was overwhelmed by the number of images that registered in her mind. She sank to her knees and Don was immediately at her side. As soon as she felt his body beside hers, she leaned into him, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He looked over the top of Judy's head at Maureen, a helpless expression on his face. Maureen looked at John and their feelings matched Don's.

Dr. Smith stepped back and sat in the nearest chair. Somehow he knew that whatever was happening to Judy would not bode well for him. "Oh, woe is me," he mumbled to himself.

Judy finally opened her eyes and clutched at Don's forearms that held her tightly. She looked up at him. "Don?" He caressed her cheek in response. "I remember," she told him.

It took a moment for the words to register. Don buried his head in her hair and held her close. Smith rose and said, "I am exhausted. My heart just cannot take such excitement."

As he took a step to return to his room, Don said, "Smith?"

"Yes, Major?"

"Thanks for watching our backs."

"Never fear…" He turned to John and said, "I trust we are on track for Alpha Centauri once again?"

John nodded. "With the star charts we got from the aliens, there's nothing to stop us."

Dr. Smith asked Judy, "And you, my dear, you are no longer pining for Earth?"

Judy smiled, "No, Dr. Smith." She looked up at Don and said, "I have everything I need right here."

* * *

There was no reason to remain docked with the alien ship. It wasn't long before the family was strapped in and ready to depart on yet another course change which would, hopefully lead them to Alpha Centauri. "You know, John," Don said as he settled into his pilot's chair. "The Robot thinks the blue stuff in those healing tubes was the same material as that blue web we got stuck on a while back. I wonder if it healed the Jupiter too?"

"What makes you say that?"

Don started the engine. "It's almost like this baby has had a tune-up. When I ran through the pre-flight check, everything, and I mean _everything_, was right on target. How many times has that happened?"

"And Maureen said that there was a glitch in the laundry unit that seemed to have fixed itself. Hopefully, we're set for another ten years." John turned to the Robot, who held the microphone in his claw. "Robot, tell them we're ready."

The Robot sang a short phrase into the microphone and the docking bay doors opened before them. The _Jupiter_ rose and gracefully glided back into open space.

* * *

Hours later, the family was having dinner and Penny lamented that they didn't have a chance to perform their show for the aliens. "Yes, Penny, I am sorry too," Dr. Smith told her. "We could have become galactic stars traveling the universe."

Don laughed. "There is only one place you want to travel to, Smith."

"Certainly, but I would not mind returning as a universal star director, sought after by aliens and humans alike to direct their productions."

"You mean, like the traveling circus?" Will asked him.

"I wonder how they're faring these days?" Maureen asked.

"Maybe we can find out," Will told her.

"How?"

"Well, when we were on that alien ship, I found out how to send out messages to specific beings. If we're lucky, they'll receive our message and respond."

"Sort of like, long distance, huh," John commented.

"But I wouldn't want to pay those long distance charges," Don said and laughed.

"I already sent a message out for Mr. Hapgood. I can send a message out for the circus too," Will said. "Can I, Dad?"

John shrugged, "Go ahead, son, but don't be surprised if you don't get a response."

"Great!" Will ran out of the galley and into the auxiliary control room. He recorded a message and sent it out on the frequency he thought was reserved for traveling shows. "Now, all we have to do is wait," he told the rest of his family.

The wait was shorter than anyone expected. "_Jupiter 2,_ received your message. Need help… Repeat… need help."

"It can't be the circus already, can it?" Penny asked.

"I don't think so," Will told her. "It's not on Major Hapgood's frequency. I don't know who it is!"

"Someone with treacherous intent, I am sure!" Dr Smith lamented as the _Jupiter_ continued to spin through space.

To be continued next week!

Same time…

Same website..

* * *

**End Episode 4: Musical Encounters**


	5. Episode 5 The Magic of Og

**D/J Project:**

**Beyond the Series**

**Episode 5: The Magic of Og**

_Last week, as you recall, the Robinsons encountered an alien species with whom only Judy could communicate through musical dialogue. Although her head was turned by a handsome alien, she regained her memory, and with it, her love for Major West. The Robinsons also gained star maps that would help them chart a course for Alpha Centauri, as well as a healing substance and increased communication capabilities. As they one again flew through space towards Alpha Centauri, they received a distress signal…_

Will located the source of the signal. "It's on the traveling show frequency."

"Can you pinpoint the coordinates?" John asked him.

"It might take some time, but they can't be far."

"Send them a return message. Ask them to identify themselves and state the nature of their emergency."

Will sent the message, and then he had the Robot help him find the location of the signal. After writing the coordinates down, he ran them over to Don.

"We should be able to reach them within two days, but it's not on our course," Don told John. "Do we go after them?"

John didn't reply, but Maureen spoke up immediately. "If someone needs our help, we have to go."

Always suspicious, Don asked, "But how do we know they really are in trouble? Maybe we're being lured into a trap?"

"A trap for what?" Judy asked.

Dr. Smith put in his two cents. "Much as I hate to agree with the major, he may be correct. All our alien encounters have led to nothing but trouble."

"That's not true, Dr. Smith," Penny told him.

"The Taurons were friendly," Will said.

"And the message referred to us by our name. It's like they already know us," Penny added.

"I still don't like it," Don said. Then he turned to John and asked. "Well?"

"We'll wait for their return response," John replied.

"But it might be too late to change course by then," Judy said.

"When would we need to change course to intersect with them?" John asked Don.

Don did some quick calculations. "Twelve hours."

"We should get a return message back within that time. We'll decide what to do then."

* * *

Hours later, Judy was dictating her journal to her cousin. "Joan, I wish I knew why Don is always so suspicious. Could it be his military training?"

Her musing was interrupted by a voice from the doorway. "And my question is… why is Judy always so trusting?"

Judy turned off the recorder. She wasn't sure if Don was annoyed or simply teasing her. "You scared me, Don," she told him.

"Sorry. I should have knocked, but, uh, the door was open. I couldn't help but overhear." He crossed his arms as he leaned against the doorjamb. "So? Do you want to know why I'm suspicious?"

"_Is_ it your training?"

He nodded. "Partly." He stepped into the room and added, "But it's mostly because all of you are so trusting. Someone has to watch our backs." He frowned. "Does that bother you?"

Judy stood and took a step to face him. "It used to, but not anymore." She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Do you want to know why I'm so trusting?"

He slipped his hands around her waist, relieved that she wasn't going to argue with him. "Let's see, does it have anything to do with your sweet, gentle nature?"

She smiled. "Partly." She slid her hands up to the back of his neck and rose on her toes. "It's mostly because I know you've got us covered…" She bent her head and their lips met. Their kiss deepened and they almost forgot where they were.

Penny strode towards her room and stopped short when she saw them. "Oh!" Don and Judy stepped apart, and Penny said, "I'm sorry."

"It's all right, Penny. This is your room, too. We shouldn't be doing this in here," Judy told her.

"I know you have no place to go," Penny said. "Judy, why don't you just move into Don's room?"

Judy blushed and Don's face broke into a broad smile. "Penny, I think I told you this before, but I like the way you think," Don told her.

Judy tapped Don on the arm. "You know Mom and Dad wouldn't allow that," she said.

"You're both adults," Penny said. "Maybe it's time for you both to do what you want, rather than listen to Mom and Dad. That's what I'd do if I was in your situation." She wanted to add, _"And I wish I was…"_

* * *

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**

* * *

Will was the first one up the next morning. They had only two hours to decide if they were going to change course and respond to the distress signal. He hoped that a return message had arrived.

As the family gathered for breakfast Will ran into the galley. "We know who's in trouble!" he exclaimed. Everyone looked at him expectantly. "It's Oggo!"

Penny's stomach flipped. "Oggo?"

"Yeah, he said he's traveling with his band mates and their ship's engines died. They're stranded."

Don checked his watch. "Ninety minutes until we make that course change."

John looked at Don and raised his eyebrows. "Band mates?"

Don laughed. "Guess a little bit of Farnum rubbed off on him. I'll go up and get ready for the course change."

"I'll come up with you," John said. He stood, looked at Maureen and repeated, "Band mates," and shook his head. For some reason, he new this was going to lead to trouble of the adolescent kind.

Penny smiled broadly. "We haven't seen him in over a year. Do you think he's changed?"

"He must have," Maureen told her. "He was probably about your age, maybe a little older, so he must have grown."

"And Mr. Farnum said he left him to travel with a 'gaggle of youngsters,'" Judy said. "He must have meant his band mates."

"Do you think by band mates, he meant a musical band?" Penny asked.

"I guess we'll find out," Judy replied.

* * *

"There they are!" Will exclaimed as he and Don looked out of the view port and maneuvered the Jupiter near Oggo's ship.

"Will, ask him if there is any way we can dock with his ship," Don said.

As Will contacted Oggo, the Robinson women stepped off the elevator. Penny held herself back, almost afraid to join the others. She wondered if she and Oggo would still share the connection they had developed when Farnum had captured Judy, Don, Will and her for his human zoo.

A walkway was being extended from Oggo's ship to the Jupiter when Penny approached the pilot chairs. "What are they doing?" Penny asked Will.

"Extending a bridge so they can come over to our ship. There's no way to dock with them," he replied.

The family watched as four figures in spacesuits made their way across the bridge. The bridge was secured to the Jupiter with tow cables, and once the four were inside the hatch, they closed the outer door. Will opened the inner hatch and the four creatures removed their helmets. Penny's breath caught in her throat. Oggo had grown into a handsome young man. He was at least six inches taller than when she had last seen him, and his spacesuit accentuated his slim build. His light brown hair was now down to his shoulders and Penny had to admit that on him, it looked right.

As Oggo greeted each one of the family members with a handshake, the other three figures removed their helmets. All three had the anatomy of humans, one was male the other two were obviously female and they all had long hair like Oggo. One of the women was about Oggo's age, while the other two creatures seemed a bit older.

Oggo finally approached Penny and his eyes warmed as he took her hand in his. "Penny," he said. "You're even more beautiful than when Farnum and I left you." He brought her hand to his lips. The younger woman cleared her throat and Oggo dropped Penny's hand. "These are my band mates," he told the family. He pointed to the older male, who was a bit shorter than Don and had flowing blond hair. "This is Loro."

Loro bowed deeply and said, "We are honored," he said. "I have heard much about the Robinson family."

"And this is Azara," Oggo said as the older woman with blue-black hair nodded. Then he nodded towards the younger woman, "And Rubina."

Rubina wrapped her hand around Oggo's arm and flipped her red hair behind her shoulder as she said, "Greetings."

Penny looked at the floor as the younger woman made it clear that she was attached to Oggo. She missed the ardent look Oggo threw her way as he unwrapped Rubina's hand from his arm.

Don noticed John glare at the young man. "So, uh, Oggo, what's wrong with your ship?" Don asked.

"I don't know. We have plenty of fuel, but the engines died and we haven't been able to restart them," Oggo replied.

"I'll go over and take a look," Don told him.

"Can I come too, Don?" Will asked.

"There'll be time for that later," Maureen said. "I've prepared lunch. Would you like to join us?" She knew that John had not had the opportunity to meet Oggo, or Farnum for that matter, and she wanted to give him the chance to get to know these strangers before they allowed the children to enter their ship.

* * *

The group squeezed into the galley area, and Oggo told them about his separation from Farnum. "After we left you, he went back to his old ways. He didn't know what to do next. I met up with Loro and we developed an act that I wanted him to promote, but Farnum insisted on controlling every aspect of the show."

"So, we left him," Loro told them. "And went off on our own."

"What kind of show do you have, Loro?" Judy asked.

Loro turned his attention to the beautiful woman whose hair was as blond as his own. He smiled and replied, "We are magicians. We can take a simple object…" Loro picked up his water glass, "And turn it into something else." He flicked his wrist and the glass turned into a bouquet of deep blue flowers. He handed the flowers to Judy and said, "They match your eyes."

Don raised his eyebrows. He had assumed that the older two were attached, just as Oggo and Rubina seemed to be. He expected a reaction from Azara, but her eyes were all over him rather than Loro, and she didn't seem to notice that Loro had just hit on Judy. Don placed his hand over Judy's and curled his fingers around hers, hoping that it would send a message to both Azara and Loro. He and Judy had just re-found each other. He was not about to let anyone come between them again.

John didn't miss Don's move and appreciated his protective instincts. He was concerned, however, about Penny. She said little at dinner and kept her eyes on her plate. Rubina, he noticed, cast a wary eye on both her and Oggo, who didn't hide his pleasure at seeing Penny again. John caught his wife's eye during dessert and they exchanged a look that only a parent would understand.

Will and Dr. Smith were the two who hung onto the newcomers' every word. Will asked if they had ever run into the traveling circus Will had almost traveled with two years ago, but none of them had ever heard of Dr. Marvello.

Dr. Smith was curious about where the troop would go next, and asked, "Have you ever been to Earth?"

"Earth would not be a lucrative stop in our travels. I've heard that magicians are a dime a dozen there," Loro told him.

"Oh, I beg to differ. You simply need someone to advertise your special talents, and I am in a perfect position to serve as your promoter."

"No, Dr. Smith. We're not going to Earth," Oggo told him.

"What do you do in your show?" Will asked.

"Would you like to see it?" Oggo asked him.

"Sure!"

"Tonight, then, you're all invited to our ship."

* * *

Don and John spent the next three hours studying the alien ship. The ship's systems were not unlike those of the _Jupiter_, and the repairs would have been easily completed were it not for the intrusion of Azara on every move. If she were not knowledgeable about the mechanical workings of the engines, Don would have sent her away, but she was the ship's mechanic, and he had no choice than to explain the details of every repair he made. John stood by and smirked every time Azara placed a hand on Don's arm and asked him to repeat every explanation.

When they finally finished, Don started to wipe his hands with a rag, but Azara took the rag from his hands and gently wiped a mark off his forehead. She leaned into him, and he blushed a deep pink. John crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows. Don took the rag from her hand, and said, "Uh, thanks, but I can do that."

"I must prepare for our show. I know you will be quite impressed," she said as she caressed his cheek, and then sauntered away.

* * *

While the men and Azara were working on the engines, Loro was working on Judy. Once he heard that she had been interested in the stage, he coerced her into taking part in their show. Judy's first reaction had been to decline his invitation to join him on stage, but Penny had encouraged her to shed her hesitations. "Judy, you've always wanted to be on the stage. This might be your only chance of ever having that experience again," Penny had told her.

The family gathered in the small stage-like area on Oggo's ship. Don sat down next to Penny and asked, "Where's Judy?"

"She didn't tell you?" Penny asked.

"Tell me what?"

"She's going to be in the show."

"Judy?" Don asked.

Penny nodded.

"No, she didn't tell me." Don folded his arms and frowned. "You know, Penny, if anyone would have been asked to be in the show, I would have thought that it would have been you."

Penny shook her head. "I've stayed out of their way."

"Because of Rubina?" Don asked her. She looked away and didn't respond. "Look, Penny, for what it's worth, I'm proud of you," Don told her. "I wish everyone had your sense of values."

"Oh, don't be mad at Judy, Don," Penny told him. "She didn't want to be in the show, but I convinced her. How many chances is she going to get to be on the stage?"

Don stared at the young girl, who he felt was wise beyond her years. He unfolded his arms and grasped the edge of the bench he was sitting on and replied, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

The room darkened and eerie galactic music played. Red, blue, green and yellow lights appeared from every angle. A white spotlight lit and shone down upon a glitter-gowned Judy who stood with one armed held straight above her head, palm curved towards the ceiling. She sang a series of notes and took a step forward. Don was mesmerized. His memory sent him back to when Judy was in the summer stock show, Oklahoma, and he presented yellow roses to her. He wished he had a bouquet of red roses to give her at the end of this show.

Judy retreated to the side of the stage as Oggo, Rubina, Azara and Loro began their magic show. Objects appeared and disappeared. Flowers turned into jewels, mounds of scarves into kittens and a snake into a gold necklace. Oggo called Penny to the stage and graciously placed the necklace around Penny's neck. Penny smiled shyly as Rubina shot an arrow of jealously towards her with her eyes.

A box stood in the center and Oggo asked Penny to tap every side of the box to determine that it was solid, which she did. He then had her stand to the side and beckoned for Judy to approach and enter the box. Penny stood by as Oggo and Loro firmly closed and locked the box.

Don bit his lip, wondering if they'd change Judy into something else or simply have her disappear. Oggo and Loro spun the box and it twirled around and around like a ballerina on her toes. Finally, the spinning stopped. Oggo asked Penny to open the box. She did and Judy had been replaced by a slender bear like creature. Azara took hold of the chain that was around the creature's neck and led it out of the box. The band of magicians stood shoulder to shoulder and bowed to the family. Dr. Smith began the clapping, and the family responded, but Don didn't join them. Instead he stood and scanned the stage. Where was Judy?

* * *

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**

* * *

Azara led her pet to Don and he stepped back as the thing bared its teeth to him. "Do not be afraid," Azara told Don. "He will not hurt you when I am in control."

"What if you're not?" Don asked her.

"I am always in control," Azara told him.

Don noticed that Loro had disappeared from the stage and the rest of the family was congratulating Oggo on a fine show. No one seemed to be concerned that Judy had yet to return. Don walked past Azara and joined the rest of the family. Azara smirked and led her pet out of the staging area.

"Earth has never seen such a show," Dr. Smith was telling Oggo as Don approached them.

"That does not matter, Dr. Smith. Earth is not a planet that will be in our travels."

Don confronted them. "Where is she, Oggo?"

"Judy?" Oggo replied. "Trust me, she is fine." He turned to Rubina. "Take him to her. No need to return."

Rubina stared at him, but said nothing. She gestured for Don to follow her and led him away.

"Now, Penny," Oggo said as he took her hand. "We have a moment to talk."

Penny glanced at her parents, and her father said, "I'm sorry, Oggo, but we're going to return to our ship. It's late."

Penny squeezed Oggo's hand and said, "You all go ahead. I'll wait here for Don and Judy. Besides, I'd like to spend some time catching up with Oggo."

John raised his eyebrows and was about to object when Maureen took his arm and turned him away. "That's fine, Penny, but don't be too late."

* * *

Rubina led Don away. "You do not trust her?" Rubina asked him as they stepped down the circular stairs to the lower deck.

"Who?" Don asked.

"Your woman?"

"Oh, her I trust," he replied. "Let's just say that I don't trust that Loro fellow."

"As well you should not," Rubina replied. "Loro and Azara always seek to enhance their love life."

"You mean…"

"Yes. They are constantly after me and Oggo to join them."

"Ugh!" Don exclaimed. "Judy and I are not exactly a Bob and Carol looking for a Ted and Alice."

"Excuse Me?" Rubina said.

Don chuckled. "You wouldn't understand. What about you and Oggo? It seems to me that you're not too trusting of him yourself."

"Oggo is not one to stray; however, the Penny woman is someone he has not forgotten."

* * *

Penny stood by Oggo and watched her family leave, wondering what she was doing. "Oggo, I think I've made a mistake," she started to say, but Oggo interrupted her by placing his finger on her lips.

"No. No mistake," he told her. "I have dreamed about you Penny Robinson."

"What about Rubina?"

He looked away from her. "She has been a faithful companion, but she is not you," he said.

He took her hand and led her to a viewing area on the ship. There was a chaise lounge and small cabinet nearby. Oggo pointed to the lounge, and said, "Sit," as he opened the cabinet and took out a bottle of what Penny could only guess was something similar to alcohol.

"I don't drink," she told Oggo.

Oggo looked at her, confused. "All bodies need liquid refreshment."

"I mean, I don't drink alcohol or anything that might, um, make me feel… dizzy."

"Trust me. This will not make you… dizzy. It is simply a nourishing drink." Penny accepted the glass he held out to her. He touched his glass to hers and said, "To old friends."

She nodded and smiled. He was captivated and she was curious. They both sipped and Oggo took the glass from her hand and placed it aside. He sat next to her and placed an arm around her. "Penny, I have not stopped thinking about you since Farnum and I left you."

"Oggo…"

"Sh…" he leaned toward her and pressed his lips to hers. Penny's mind told her to pull away, but she wanted the kiss as much as he did.

* * *

When Don and Rubina reached the lower deck, Azara held her pet's chain out to Rubina. "Here. Take him back to his cage and feed him," she told the younger female.

Rubina took the chain, but couldn't help saying, "He is not looking for a Ted and Alice."

Azara frowned. "What are you talking about?" Rubina caught Don's eye and laughed. Then she walked away. Azara took Don's arm and wrapped her hand around it. "She is an unusual woman for our species, always fearing new adventures, and always hanging onto Oggo."

Don stared at Azara and pried her hand from his arm. "You mean the way you're hanging onto me?" he asked.

"Do you also fear new adventures?" she asked him.

"Just take me to Judy," he told her.

* * *

Judy found herself unconscious in a box under the stage. She had no idea what had happened. When they had rehearsed earlier in the day, she had been instructed to simply drop down into a hole in the floor. There was no mention of her being replaced by an animal. When she entered the box on stage, she felt a prick in her side, and fell to the floor, unconscious. By the time she awoke, Loro was with her and holding her head in his lap. "You have rejoined us," he told her.

She struggled to sit up and mumbled, "What happened? Why was I unconscious?"

"A necessary component of the illusion that did not need rehearsal," Loro told her.

She stared at him. "I don't like being tricked," she said.

"You have my apology, Judy, but it was the only way to complete the illusion without causing you panic."

"Why would I be panicked?" she asked. She turned towards a familiar voice who answered.

"Because they replaced you with a sharp-toothed animal," Don said as he and Azara walked into the room.

"Don!" she exclaimed and extended her hand towards him.

"Are you all right?" he asked her as he helped her up.

"I think so. I didn't know they were going to drug me," she said as she allowed Don to put his arm around her waist and draw her towards him. She wrapped her arms around his chest and said, "I'm glad you're here."

"And so are we," Azara said as she took Loro's arm. "We have a… proposal for you."

"I don't think so," Don said even before she finished.

"But you haven't heard our proposition," Loro said. "Don't rush off. I can see that there is no privacy on your ship. You can stay here with us and fulfill your carnal desires – freely and without judgment."

Judy looked at Don. There was nothing more she wanted than to lay in his arms without intrusion. "Don? Maybe we should take him up on his offer. We would finally have some privacy."

"It comes with a price, Judy," Don told her. "A foursome is not exactly my idea of privacy."

Judy's eyes went wide. "A foursome!"

Azara laughed. "Surely, you can't be as innocent as you appear."

"Innocent is not exactly the word I would use to describe her," Don told Azara. "Let's just say that we revel in an exclusive relationship. We don't need anyone else to make love exciting."

"Reconsider! Surely, you can't resist our offer."

Judy smiled up at Don, and he shrugged. "We can resist," Judy told them. "And don't call me Shirley!" Loro and Azara wrinkled their brows in confusion. They could not believe they had been rebuffed.

Don laughed. "In the mood to see the movie, Airplane?"

Judy nodded. "Let's go back."

Loro and Azara watched them climb the steps. "They are like Oggo and Rubina," Loro said. "Let them go."

Azara smirked. "Oggo may not be who you think he is. He and the young one might be better companions than these two," she told him.

* * *

Oggo and Penny were still on the chaise lounge, sitting side by side by the time Don and Judy walked up the circular stairs. They found Rubina standing at the top, listening to Oggo and Penny talk about their lives since they had last seen each other. Oggo was telling Penny how he had met Rubina. "And she stepped out from behind the trash bin and asked Farnum for a coin. He rebuffed her, but I was mesmerized by her tranquil eyes… so knowing for one so young."

"You're in love with her."

Oggo smiled at Penny. "Yes. Now I am sure."

Don and Judy stood on the steps below Rubina and they cleared their throats. Rubina stepped onto the upper deck and Don and Judy followed her. Oggo and Penny stood and Oggo met Rubina's eyes. He was mesmerized once again. "I must apologize to you, Rubina."

Rubina walked over to him and Penny. "No apology is necessary, Oggo. You have come back to me as I had hoped. Now I know that I do not come second to the beautiful Penny Robinson."

"I'm sorry, Rubina," Penny told her. "I didn't mean to come between you."

"You are no longer between us," Rubina told her and reached out to shake her hand.

"I'm glad you've found someone to make you happy, Oggo," Penny told him. "I'm happy that you've found each other."

"You will always have a warm place in my heart," Oggo told her. "You are the one who truly set me free."

Penny walked over to Don and her sister. "Are you ready to go back?" she asked them.

They nodded. "Are you all right, Penny?" Judy asked her.

Penny smiled. "Yes. I'm fine – really."

"We're gonna watch a movie," Don told her. "Wanna join us?" he asked.

"What movie?"

"Airplane."

"I love that move!" Penny exclaimed. "And so does Will!"

"Guess we'll be doing a family thing," Don told Judy.

"Are you okay with that?" Judy asked.

Don laughed. "As long as I get you to myself for a good-night kiss," Don told her.

"Tell you what," Judy said. "We'll neck in the back while Penny and Will watch the movie."

"I'll take you up on that," Don said.

* * *

By the time the movie was over, Judy and Don were asleep in each others' arms. Will turned to Penny and asked, "Should we wake them up?"

"They look so comfortable," she whispered. "Let's leave them alone."

They climbed down the ladder to the lower deck. Will turned to his sister and asked, "What happened between you and Oggo?"

"Oh, nothing really. We realized that we're at different stages in our lives," Penny replied.

"Was he still ga-ga over you?"

"Not anymore," she told him. "I was just someone who helped him on his way."

"Penny? I'm glad you're okay," Will told her. "I know it must be hard to be a teenager with no boys around."

"It's all right, Will," Penny told him. "It won't be long before you feel the same way. You'll be a teenager with no girls around to catch your eye."

"Girls!" Will exclaimed. "Who needs 'em!"

"Will Robinson, you'll eat those words someday!" Penny told him.

Will laughed. "Good-night, Penny."

"Good-night, Will," Penny replied.

* * *

The _Jupiter_ was back on course for Alpha Centauri and Dr. Smith was as miserable as he had ever been. "Oh, woe is me," Dr. Smith lamented. "Never to set foot on my homeland again."

"Enough, Smith!" Don exclaimed. "You've been moaning for two days now. We should have left you with Oggo!"

"Pshaw, Major!" Smith told him. "You have no idea what it is like to be alone and adrift… not knowing if you will ever know happiness again."

"Oh, I have an idea, Smith," Don told him. He turned to look at Judy, who caught his eye. "And I hope to find much more happiness soon."

Judy blushed at his words. Meeting up with Oggo had led them to talking about marriage once again. Penny seemed to have recovered well from their encounter with the magician troupe, and Judy and Don's thought had returned to finding a way to be together… really together.

"Warning! Warning!" the Robot exclaimed.

"What is it, Robot?" Will asked.

"We are about to collide with a heavenly object that will send us off our present course of travel!"

Don and John climbed the ladder to the upper deck. "I don't see anything," Don told John as he stared out of the viewport. The _Jupiter's_ alarms blared.

"What is it?" John shouted.

"I wish I knew!" Don replied as he plopped into his pilot's seat, ready to redirect the ship, but he had no idea where to go!

* * *

To be continued next week!

Same time…

Same website…

* * *

**End of Episode 5: The Magic of Og **


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